The Exchange
by Rivala
Summary: Light Yagami has to deal with an annoying exchange student who has come to live with him for three years. THREE YEARS! Little does he know, curiosity and a bit of persistance can make you change your mind. Yaoi.
1. Of new friends that you don't like

DUDES I'M RE-WRITING THIS SHIZZ

Okay, I have gone off track with this story. I thought I'd go all Jim'll Fix It and re-write the first chapter, perhaps the whole story up to chapter six. Hopefully everyone will like the change! Though I seriously don't mind if people say, "I prefer the old chapter. Change it, fagola.", cause I have a backup (insert shrewd face).

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any anime/s mentioned in this fic, or the one it's based upon. If I did, _this would _be the anime.

XXX

Light lied on the blanket that covered the sofa, letting his skin soak in the sunlight that shone through the front room window. It was, by all means, a rather nice day- not to mean that he was planning to get up, go outside and enjoy it. He preferred to just nap away the rest of the Monday. Screw the point that it was Golden Week. Time off could be spent how he liked.

"Alright, Light-kun, so are you okay with that?"

"Huh? You were talking?"

"You didn't listen to anything I just said, did you?"

Light glanced at his mother Sachiko with lidded, nonchalant eyes. She scowled at him and crossed her arms, her face a mix of irritation and fatigue.

"Then how about repeating the question?"

Once again, Light's holier-than-thou attitude never failed to amaze and annoy Sachiko. Sometimes she wished her son wasn't such a smart-ass, so it would be easier to get him to be at least a little bit modest about himself. She guessed a lifetime of being complimented on both aesthetic and academic appeal had spoilt the personality of said little megalomaniac.

"You better change your attitude, young man, or I'll give you the bloody question."

"Sorry, Mother dearest, but that was possibly one of the worst threats I've ever heard."

"Depends on what I was referring to when I mentioned the question, doesn't it?"

Light stuck his nose in the air- an image of both protest and self-righteousness, which served no more than to piss Sachiko off even more. She walked over to the other side of the sofa, and sat down next to her lazing son whilst trying to give off an unapproachable aura.

"Anyway, as I was saying, we are having a visitor from England coming to live with us for some time. He's older than you, but due to confusion in the system, it turns out he'll be in the same class as you. He's quite smart-"

Light skimmed her sentences for key words.

"- so ... intellectual... I want... get along... you... father... opportunities... future... enjoys his stay."

"Why is this visitor coming to our house anyway, pray tell?"

Sachiko high-fived herself for managing to pique her son's interest. She hadn't really, of course, but it was a nice thought.

"Well, you see, he is the grandson of a friend of your father's."

"I didn't know Dad had English friends."

Light thought to himself for a bit, and then proceeded to interrogate his mother. It turned out the stranger's name was L (Light's pronunciation- 'Eru? Ero... Porn?') and that he was staying for- get this- three years. _Three years_. Some time? That was ages. What if he didn't like this exchange student? He'd have to deal with a hateful presence for three freaking years.

Not liking this, Light decided to disappear upstairs for a while, a well known pastime of teenagers all over the world. If his parents were betting on Light sharing his room with a stranger, he hoped they'd at least ask him first.

XXX

L stood at the train station, staring up at the timetables. He didn't know how to read Japanese, so it was a little bit troublesome. Of course he could speak it, but his educational drive hadn't been up to speed lately, so he hadn't been extremely interested. It bothered him. It made him feel somewhat inadequate, and sincerely wondered how the hell he'd been pinned with this job instead of heightened training. The system was obviously more messed up than he'd imagined. Or the superiors were more incompetent than he'd estimated.

You can imagine he'd gotten quite a few stares, as an adolescent Caucasian male standing completely alone at a local train station. He continued to stare at the train times, but when he finally assured himself that learning to read Japanese simply staring at the letterings for a while was impossible, he decided to call someone for help.

He'd managed to approach a nearby station employee, hoping to inquire about the times. The employee began to talk as L approached.

"Huh? Oh, um... I'm sorry, I don't speak English..."

"I speak Japanese_." _L replied.

"Is that so? I'm sorry."

"I don't mind. Could you please tell me how to get to Shinjuku...?"

XXX

"So, this guy will be coming today?"

"Yes, he should be on a train on his way here now. We are going to meet him at the train station. Do you want to come, Light-kun?"

"Not really."

"Oh, come on, it's unfair for the rest of the family to become familiar with the new guy before you."

"I don't want to."

"Please?"

"What's in it for me?"

"Not an awful lot. I won't bother saying that it would mean a lot to me, because that would mean even less nothing to you, wouldn't it, Light-kun?"

"Whatever you say, Mum."

"Your dad'll be there too. We're meeting at the station... You want to see him?"

"... Fine."

XXX

The station was bustling as usual. Not as busy as a train station that could be found in the middle of Tokyo or anything, or that of a bullet train, but was busy in it's own way. Older trend-slave teens sauntered past in groups of five or more, alongside irritated businessmen and the elderly on a day out. Light scanned the crowds for an uptight man branding a modest suit and a bristling moustache, forgetting completely about the reason they were actually at the station.

"Can you see him, Light-kun?"

"No. Is Dad even going to show up?"

"Yes, Light-kun, we arranged everything. Stop worrying about your father and help us look for L."

"Who?"

"L, the boy I _mentioned earlier? _The one staying for the next three years?_"_

Light pulled his attention away from his mother as he saw a strange foreigner shuffle in his general direction. The stranger glanced at Light with wide, dark-rimmed eyes. He paused momentarily. A hand was raised and scratched the head that was hidden somewhere amongst a mop of messy black hair, and a foot was whirled around to scratch the back of a leg.

Light tapped his mother's shoulder.

"Look at that weird guy."

The stranger's eyes narrowed as they fell on Light again, as if he'd heard him whisper. Light's mother's eyebrows rose as she spied him.

"Ah, Lawliet-san!"

Light almost stared. "This is him?" Light muttered, frowning.

'Lawliet-san' gave Light a dirty look. "How pleasant." He said aloud, looking annoyed. Light had obviously not been as quiet as he thought he was.

Sachiko bowed her head, and slapped Light on the back of his skull to get him to follow suit.

"My name is Sachiko Yagami. This is my very rude and currently disappointing son, Light, and my daughter, Sayu. I have heard many good things about you from my husband, who shall be joining us soon. It is a pleasure to meet you."

'Lawliet-san' simply bowed in return. "As you know, my name is L Lawliet. Please take good care of me."

Light stood back up straight, and L smirked at Light as he straightened himself up. "Nice to meet you." Light scowled as his mother glared at him.

"The pleasure's all mine." L replied through gritted teeth. Sayu simply waved shyly, whilst attempting to hide behind Sachiko. L dragged his eyes away to wave back in what he hoped was a friendly manner (it didn't work well, as his face was lacking an all important partof friendliness- a smile). Light immediately noticed L's monotone manner (being the self-announced genius he was), and they exchanged looks that required no exchange of words.

Light didn't even bother to appear happy. _You've made a bad first impression._

L gave an arrogant _hnh_, and stared in a hostile manner_. Oh, don't worry_, _I know._

XXX

"So, Lawliet-san, this is your first visit to Japan?"

"Please, I would rather you refer to me by my first name."

Light frowned, glancing at the boy he'd been forced to sit next to, due to the fact that Soichiro, now asleep, was enjoying the front seat, which Light had been hoping to steal from his father's clutches before he'd gotten into his car, which he had driven on the way here, but had accepted an offer of Sachiko driving them home instead due to his own fatigue (correction; it had not been a offer, Sachiko had been coerced into it by Soichiro saying "What, you didn't hire a car? I love you, dear, but sometimes you never think." When Sachiko said she would drive them home herself, the ungrateful bastard that was Soichiro Yagami simply replied, "Fine, at least you're useful for something." Work had really changed him...). However, Soichiro had been quick to act, and Light was now being squashed by the taller foreigner (not that he was a giant or anything, it was just that he sat with his legs up against his chest. Light wondered if all British men sat this way. He doubted it, but was still unsure). He honestly wished that this experience didn't alter his opinion of British people in the future. _How rude_, Light pondered upon hearing L's words. _It sounds like he's Mum's best friend or something. _As soon as Light came up with the idea, the image of his mother waterskiing with _this guy_ in the driving seat of the boat appeared in his mind, and he shivered in disgust.

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Where I come from, it's a given."

"Ah, of course... so, L-kun, this is your first visit to Japan?"

"Yes."

"Oh, really? But you speak the language so well!"

"I was given lessons from a young age, and I have Japanese blood."

"Is that so? That would explain it, then!"

Light clicked his tongue upon noticing how nervous his mother was. Despite having a husband and raising a son, she never had been amazing when socialising with men. L heard Light make the minute sound, and L was obviously not as misinformed when it came to Japanese manners as Light had estimated, as he elbowed Light in the ribs when the car turned a sharp corner. As if L knowing that it was rude wasn't shock enough, Light was equally dismayed when L, who was going through a random moment of social awkwardness (or social retardation, both of them were equally good), stuck his tongue out at Light. _Wow_, Light thought. _This guy is not just bad at first impressions. He's a total child._

The car turned into the street, and Light realised they were home, Soichiro awoke with a jolt, and Sayu did the opposite, and fell asleep.

XXX

"Okay, L, I'm sure you're extremely tired and a bit jet-lagged, yes?"

"... Jet... lagged?"

"... Nevermind. You'll be sleeping in Light's room- Light, go ahead and set up a bed for our guest."

_Motherfu- -_

"... You never even asked me...!"

"Light, use that amazing brain of yours to calculate the probability of all these factors; that you would say no, that L has nowhere else to sleep, and that you have the biggest available room. Now, what are the chances that I would have been planning to not ask you on purpose?"

"... Whatever." Bitch.

XXX

Light watched the older boy scan his room. L picked up a book on the Left-Hand Rule from Light's desk, and raised an eyebrow at it. "There are books on the Left-Hand Rule?"

"..."

"Light-kun?"

"What?"

"... Rude. I asked you if this book is actually on the Left-Hand Rule."

"Yes, it is."

"... Why?"

"Maybe because... people need books like that... to know what it is?"

L frowned. "... You mean that without this book, you wouldn't know what the Left-Hand Rule is?"

"Well, not necessarily, but I guess."

"You mean you don't simply read volumes explaining everything to do with the subject of science, and/or the subjects that are related to the Left-Hand Rule? Surely there is no way you can just rely on such a small intake of information that requires more time than needed?"

"... What?"

"What I mean is, how can you acquire knowledge of the Left-Hand Rule without acquiring knowledge of the Right-Hand Rule, or the Right-Hand Grip Rule, or anything else pertaining to the works of John Ambrose Fleming?"

"... Who?"

"Why would you desire knowledge on such a small field? I would understand if you were to suffer from Aspergers, or any other form of autism, but you seem to come off as somewhat mentally healthy. Or are you simply intrigued by the creation of it? Or are you planning on inventing something along the same lines?"

"Hey, I don't read that book because I want to."

L seemed mortified. Well, his tone of voice did, anyway.

"Then why bother owning it?"

"It's part of the curriculum."

"You mean... in order to be accepted in your school, you have to own this book and have read it?"

"I... I guess? Listen, are you going to set your stuff up or what?"

L sat upon his newly acquired futon, and pulled his knees up to his chest.

XXX

OKAY THAT'S IT FOR NOW

If the next chapter you read doesn't make sense, it's because I haven't rewritten it yet, so... yeah. 'Fraid you'll have to


	2. Shut up, QUEER!

SECOND REWRITTEN CHAPTER- Yeah, I've started doing all of 'em. Hope this works for everyone.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any anime/s mentioned in this fic, or the one it's based upon. If I did, _this would _be the anime.

XXX

There was a chorus of clattering as L entered the unfamiliar classroom. If this scene were something from a film, everyone would fall quiet. But in my experience, nowadays newcomers are usually the little people who are simply looked at and then gossiped about, so nobody really cares enough to shut up. This homeroom was no exception.

L scanned the room as Light pushed past him, and slumped down into his seat. A group of girls in the corner of the room glanced at L, and started to talk among themselves.

"_Who's the creep at the door?"_

"_Dunno, never seen him here before. Tsuki, you usually know about everyone- who's the white guy?"_

"_No idea. He's probably a freshman."_

"_New guy? Hope he's not in this class."_

"_Did you see? He walked in with Light Yagami. Do you think they know each other?"_

"_Light is too classy to hang out with someone like that."_

"_Yeah, it's probably coincidence."_

Light was starting to get irritated as L refused to move for about six minutes (not that Light was counting) and seemed to just molest everyone with his eyes.

"L," Light hissed, "sit the hell down."

L simply looked at Light in a way that couldn't exactly be called pleasant, and replied, "I would, but I have yet to be designated a seat."

"Just shut up and sit behind me."

L didn't change his expression. "_Yes matron_," he replied in English.

XXX

"Alright everyone, this is our new exchange student. He'll be attending the school in Hatsori's place, and I want everyone to be nice to him~"

The teacher practically sang as she introduced L. "This is L Lawliet. He's from the UK, and he is staying here for three years. I want you to all imagine being away from home for that long. It makes you feel sad, doesn't it? So be sympathetic to Lawliet-kun, okay?"

Light smirked as he spotted the scowl on L's face. _I bet he's thinking he doesn't need anyone's sympathy..._

L sighed internally. _This teacher is officially a moron._

"Okay Lawliet-kun, you can sit... how about next to Yagami-kun, hm?"

There was a slam as Light's face was planted violently on the desk in frustration.

"Why me...?" L thought he heard Light whimper.

XXX

**{'EVENTFUL' DAY NUMBER ONE}**

The third day L attended school, a boy who could be considered much shorter (but tall if you were to consider everyone else in the class) than L approached him, with a face that reminded L of Dick Dastardly. Or Muttley. You know the one, that face that says, 'I believe I can totally do what I'm about to do, and you're the only one who knows I'm actually going to fail'.

"Oi, Lawliet-kun," asked the 'less intellectual than most' boy, "You're, like, from the UK, right?"

"Yes," L replied lazily, as if knowing what was to come, "why do you ask?"

The boy smiled widely, as if L had just told him he was psychic and he was getting a Wii for his birthday. And then, it happened, and all L could do was give a drained look.

"_FOOKU YO_!" the boy screamed in English at the top of his lungs.

L raised an eyebrow. "_Do you suffer from tourettes or something, you retard?" _L replied, also in English, without bothering to acknowledge the boy with any other look besides one that suggested L possibly didn't believe the guy had a higher IQ than 20.

The boy gave L a look as if he was a leper, and stalked off, confused.

Light had to admit he was slightly impressed. "How did you get Suga to get lost?"

L shrugged. "That person has the mentality of an eight-year old," L replied, "and should be treated as such."

XXX

**{YET ANOTHER 'EVENTFUL' DAY}**

L gave the changing room entrance an dissatisfied stare.

"Do I have to do this?" His voice wasn't strained or pained, just neutral, and almost sounded curious. It gave Light the wrong impression.

"Yes?" Light replied as if L had asked him an incredibly stupid question. _Wait, does he actually think he doesn't have to do this?_

"Why?"

"It's compulsory."

"... I don't really want to do this..."

"Well, neither do I. But it's part of the curriculum."

"You like the curriculum, don't you?"

"Where'd you get that idea from?"

"Oh, just little things... the fact you possess a book you don't actually need, 'because the curriculum requires it', how you insist on attending clubs that are encouraged by the curriculum, how you attend cram school, which is extra-curriculum..."

L looked directly in Light's eyes. "Do you think about it when you masturbate?"

Light jumped at the comment. _What the fuck?_

"What the fuck kind of question is that?"

L waved his hand in dismissal as he walked away. "I was only jesting, Light."

Light frowned as he glared at L's back. He felt that absolutely everything L said did nothing but brush him up the wrong way. Light had never really met anyone who had seemingly gone out of their way to annoy him over the course of one week.

Yes, it had only been one week of L's stay. And he was starting to become somewhat unbearable.

Over the course of just that day, L had made twenty-seven (yes, twenty seven) strange and/or insulting comments. And it was only third period! Light felt aggravated at the thought. What had he done to L to make the other boy act in such a way? He knew that their first meeting had been a bit bad... but Light had tried his best to look on the bright side and get on good terms with L. And it seemed that L was actively throwing all of Light's efforts back into his face.

And if there was one thing Light disliked, it was things being thrown at his, to be frank, much-loved face.

Light eventually walked into the changing room, and peered around to see where L was. He could see the older boy looking bemused, and totally absorbed into his own world. He was simply ignoring the stares of the others – not stares of a sexual kind, but of mixed curiosity and hostility – and doing what he had to do. Light approached, and tapped the fifteen year old on the shoulder. L turned as he removed his shirt, and Light found himself facing the other boy whilst said boy's uncovered chest practically scowled at him.

Light did his best to ignore it. "Do you want me to stand near you?" _I will be the bigger person, dammit._

L raised an eyebrow (he seemed to do that a lot). "I'm flattered Light, but I don't think of you that way." His tone said, _I don't really think of you in any way at all, really._

AsL turned back around to continue changing, Light's mouth formed an O in pure shock at how rude L was.

"I didn't mean it in that way, _prick_." Light's voice was a whisper. " I was _attempting _to be a good host."

"Thank you, however, I have no need for you to be."

_What the hell is this guy's problem?_

"... What did I do? Why do you see me as such a bad person?"

L didn't turn around. "I don't like getting friendly with people."

"Maybe, but that's no reason to not be civil. What's your problem?"

L didn't reply. Light fell silent for a moment, and went to turn away, but then decided against it. Giving a smirk, Light lent a hand against the wall L was facing, and moved in a little bit closer, so nobody could hear him.

"Unless you actually like me, and this is some sort of defence mechanism~"

L froze.

L's face seemed to change so dramatically that for a split moment, Light thought his bluff was actual truth.

L glared at Light. It was a glare that Light had always thought he gave people, but it turned out to be much, much more effective. And L was good at glaring. It sent out a hostility to Light that he wasn't used to. Light actually shivered.

"Leave me alone."

It was a voice that was just as monotone as usual. But it had a strange, distressing ring to it. Light's legs backed off before he'd even considered it.

XXX

"We're home!"

"Light, L! How was your day?"

"It was quite good, actually. Today..."

"It was okay."

Light glared at L. "Don't interrupt me."

L simply shrugged. "If I have to hear you recite every minute, _every second_ of your day, just like yesterday, I can't promise your safety while you sleep." Oh, so he was still irritated.

Light ignored the comment. "Anyway..."

"I mean it, Light. I'll draw on your face." This was somewhat childish compared to earlier, wasn't it?

"Oh no, not my precious face." Light said sarcastically.

"And I'll spit in your hair." L added in a whisper, as Sachiko slipped out of earshot.

"What? Screw off! Don't you dare come near my hair, _freak_!"

"Language, Light Yagami! Watch it!" Came an angry bellow from the kitchen.

"Mum," asked Sayu, Light's 11 year-old sister, innocently, "What does Light mean by 'screw off'?"

"Sayu! Don't listen to your brother!"

"Yes, Sayu. Don't listen to your brother. Ever. He will get you put in prison."

"Is Light a bad person?"

"Yes, Sayu. He strangles cats."

"Shut the hell up, L!"

"LIGHT!"

XXX

Sachiko Yagami was very happy. Just like every mother, she became ecstatic at the chance to embarrass her son. And this was _perfect_.

Recently, the heater had been acting up, so the amount of hot water had been short. It had been so annoying at first, but now there was an opportunity to get her own back on her brat of a son.

Because God knows he deserved it.

"Light! "

She didn't want to put L in an awkward position, but he was a smart boy. He would probably figure out what Sachiko was up to. Light stomped down the stairs in a typical angsty manner, and had an air of total disregard surrounding him.

"What?"

Sachiko smiled as warmly as physically possible. "You know about our little boiler problem? Well, I'm afraid you two- you and L- are going to have to have a shower together."

Light's face was a picture. Sachiko wished she had a camera. Her son came closer to her, and spoke in a hushed, whiney voice.

"W... what? You... want _me_... to bathe with that... _thing_?"

"Well, at least I look like something, Light-kun. You, on the other hand, are _incomprehensible._" Light swivelled around to face the older boy, who was incorporating his usual monotonous manner.

Light and L shared yet another hostile glare.

"... Your foolish plans to make me feel self-conscious shall never succeed."

"Oh no," L replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes, "foiled again. Or so I would believe, if you stopped glancing at yourself in the mirror. Feeling _vulnerable_, Light?"

"Shut up and stop attempting to get into my head."

Sachiko tried to hide her grinning. This was too good.

"Sorry, Light-kun, but unless you want to feel greasy until tomorrow evening you will have to share the bathroom with L tonight."

L raised his eyebrows at the comment, and looked almost impressed by how red Light went.

Light grimaced, his face showing that he was weighing up the lesser of two evils. Greasiness meant uncleanliness- Sachiko had backed him into a corner, and had struck at his Achilles Heel. But sharing the shower with L? Almost impossible. The demons of bad hygiene could be washed away. If only it was that easy when L was concerned.

However, if he were to walk into school unshowered, why, he would look no better than L.

However, L had already made up his mind.

"Come on, Light-kun," L said, and before the younger of the two knew it, L was actually dragging Light along towards the stairs, away from Sachiko and everything that could be considered embarrassing in a motherly way. As they approached the stairs, Light started to panic.

"W-wait!"

L spun around to face Light, an irritated look decorating his face.

"What, does Light wish me to undress him myself?"

"W... what? No!"

L placed a hand on Light shoulder in a frankly foreign way, which appeared to be L having a go at being friendly, or remotely comforting. It failed, and Light glanced nervously at the hand like a mental patient would at a syringe. "Listen Light, I'm looking forward to this as much as you are. But to be honest, I've had a _tough day_ and I would prefer it if any awkward or problematic situations were over and done with." It annoyed Light that L could convey such calmness whilst maintaining a voice that was void of emotion.

"Are... are you seriously okay with showering with me?"

The last thing Light wanted to do was comply with L.

Quickly slipping into their- no, wait, this was Light's room. No matter what anyone said, _it was his room. _Anyway...

They slipped into LIGHT'S room and started to undress. Light noticed for the first time that he had never seen L without at least two articles of clothing (Not counting that day with L's shirt). It would be a first then, right? Light wondered to himself, _was L as skinny as Suga said he was?_ He had yet to see L undress in the locker room, as they changed at different sides of the room, due to L's attitude. Light imagined an anorexic L and bit back a retch.

However, L was wondering something different- being the more asexual of the two, he was more concerned with how long this whole affair was going to take. He appeared totally unconcerned as he pulled off his school wear and stretched a little. Light's eyes flickered back and forth, from L to in front of himself, apparently glancing.

"L... do you do any extra-curricular sports?"

"There you go again with the curriculum."

"W-whatever. Do you?"

L paused. "I did capoeira back home, and I've practiced... well, a little bit of everything."

Light glanced back and forth again. He could see thin arms, yeah... but the rest of his body was somehow balanced. He was thinner than Light, but he was also taller, so that could be forgiven. When L raised his arms, even a tiny bit, you could see a small amount of muscle flinching under the layer of flesh. His shoulder blades looked bony, and when L bent forward to pull down his trousers, his spine could be a little visible. L picked up the clothing as it hit the floor, and dropped it all in a neat pile.

_W-wow... he looks pretty regular... is it wrong to think this situation is even a little bit... w-weird...?_

Light could see, from the angle he was at, that L had a flat stomach, but his ribs weren't visible, so he wasn't anorexic. There was even a little bit of muscle there, too. Not overly, 'I'm so gar' muscle, just a slightly attractive lining.

_D-dammit, stop looking at him! He is normal! I mean, you can see what he said about him practicing martial arts was true, as you can see the outline of his abdominal muscles, but... that's nothing special! Come on... it's not like you're gay or anything..._

It seemed L was about to pull off his underwear (which were a simple pair of non-tight boxers). Light's eyes immediately followed L's hands.

_But... I'll admit I'm jealous of his body. I don't train in sports or anything, so I wish I had his physique...imagine what he could do with that body..._

Light shook his head in a distraught manner, but his eyes didn't tear away once.

_Ugh, Light, get your mind out of the gutter! This is the most annoying human you've ever met in your life so far, and just because he has a little bit more beefage than you, you imagine... _that_! Errrrgh... _

"... Light."

"H-huh? What?"

"... I'm not a self-conscious person, but... can you please refrain from looking at my crotch?"

_Say WHUH?_

Light instantly flushed, and shook his head repeatedly in denial._ "W-w-what?_ Don't flatter yourself!"

L gave Light an uncomfortable glance, but inside he was smiling a bit.

"When you asked me if I was... _that way... _were you in fact sizing up your chances with me?"

Light looked taken aback. "H-how dare you! I'm straight!"

"... Keep telling yourself that, Light, and you shall grow to become a very depressed man."

"Shut up, queer!" _Wait, did I just actually say that?_

"If I were to correct you, I believe you would be the so-called queer in this situation."

"Aah, I hate you _soo much_!"

XXX

So, there's the re-written chapter 2. This took me longer than I thought it would. I suck, man...

If I managed to entice any new readers, reviews are welcome, as are criticism from the regulars :D


	3. Of soap and birthday suits

In the words of Eyeshield 21's Hiruma, YA-HA! I managed to get some ideas for this thing! At first, I was unsure of what to do, but now I do know! Thanks to **Moonphase9 **and **ComaWhite.X **for all their ideas and help!

La Shower Scene CONTINUED!

"Lawliet, why were you so compliant with my mother?"

"For the hundredth time, do not call me that."

"For the hundredth time, whatever, just answer the question."

L sighed. He slipped into the en-suite bathroom, the shower area in the corner. Grabbing Light's arm, he roughly tugged the younger boy forward. Light almost fell forward, had it not been for the wall blocking the way.

"You should hurry up."

"Bastard!" Light turned on L, wearing a face that somewhat resembled a hissing cat. "I could have hurt myself!"

"You would have done so by yourself sooner or later."

"Are you implying that I'm not only vain, but incompetent?"

"No, Light-kun, perish the thought." L said, wounded-sounding, but the comment was too heavy with sarcasm and his face too blank to be considered hurt.

Light scowled, pulling the towel covering his lower body up slightly. L noticed.

"Feeling vulnerable, Light?" he chided, repeating what he had said whilst they had been conversing with Light's mother earlier.

Light turned on his heels, his knuckles pale, and could hold himself back no longer. As Light extended a hand, L's cheek stung as Light stood on his toes, raising himself to L's line of sight, and delivered a spiteful slap. L placed a hand on his cheek, his eyes watered a bit. Light pulled back his hand, as it now ached from the impact.

"Shut up already, you _child_!"

Light turned and took a step away, feeling a little bit better. But Light could hardly register the thought of how he had finally pulled one over L, he found himself being pulled backwards, back through the door, and flung onto his bed. Sitting up quickly, Light found himself being punched square in the face, stars flashing before his eyes and pain exploding in the bridge of his nose.

Fluttering his eyes open, he stared at L, who, despite having a perfectly unchanged face, was speaking with an angry clarity.

"You know Light," he growled, "You are beginning to annoy me."

L then himself turned around, silently fuming, and began to walk towards the bathroom yet again.

But Light didn't want to back down. "I'm _beginning _to?" Light shook his head and growled. "I haven't even started!"

This time, he was the one who found himself being pulled back.

L fell back onto the bed, and Light straddled him, viciously kicking him in the stomach as he did so. Light's hands were around L's throat, and they squeezed slightly, threatening to strangle him.

But despite being the attacker, Light was not as strong as L, and he was soon flipped onto his back. Light threw a punch upwards, meeting L's jaw, but not before Light himself was kneed in the stomach. Light raised his legs, struggling under the older boy, and amongst all the scuffling, the towel he had clung on as if for dear life slid off him, revealing him in all his glory.

Light seemed to not realise as he managed to shove L off of him and push him off of the bed. L, expecting this to happen sooner or later, fell to the floor, only to push himself up off of the floorboards, and upwards, his foot connecting with Light's chest. Light then flew backwards, totally underestimating the force of the kick.

L gave a sneer, but hid it before Light could notice.

"Lost something, Light?"

Light frowned, then looked down at his now naked self, and instantly went a shade of pink that's somewhere between cherry blossom and coral. L, not seeming to care, pulled Light upwards slightly and slammed him against the wall, behind his bed post. Light lied between L's legs, dazed and embarrassed.

"Do not attempt to fight me," L muttered confidently, and brought his lips extremely close to Light's earlobe, "You won't win."

Light gasped. Wasn't this a bit... intimate? Light felt warm, curling his legs inwards due to the heat of L's breath against Light's neck. He rose up slightly, his body tensing, his world turning white. He grabbed L's shoulder, and gulped. _What was happening...?_

L looked at the hand that was now placed on his shoulder, and gave a minute frown.

"Light...?"

_Click._

"Boys, hurry up, everyone else needs showers too..."

The two of them looked at Sachiko, who had so wonderfully intruded, and Sachiko looked at them in turn. Glances were exchanged, and both boys were unfortunately aware of how bad they looked.

Sachiko turned, looking slightly disturbed.

"... I'll come back later."

"N-no, Mum, this isn't how it looks-!"

"No, Light, it's okay, I understand..."

L quickly pulled himself up off of Light.

", for once your son is correct. This is a misunderstanding."

"_For once I'm correct? _What, now you're saying I'm vain, incompetent _and _ignorant?"

"No Light, you are vain, incompetent, ignorant _and naked_."

Light instantly turned away, crossing his legs to cover himself. L raised an eyebrow.

"... Not to mention obvious..." he muttered, looking away.

"What?"

Sachiko cleared her throat, causing both L and Light to look at her. Though, with her son naked and the fact that she had seen him dominated by the foreigner she would have to live with for the next three years and a month, she wasn't as eager to look at them.

"... As I said earlier, I'll come back later."

Sachiko then disappeared down the stairs, followed by an uneasy, somewhat confused feeling that seemed to tell everyone she passed _I hope it really is a misunderstanding_.

Light grunted, and grabbed his towel.

"She could of _frigging _knocked..."

L shrugged, scratching the back of his head. Light glanced at him. _You really don't care, do you, L? _Light continued looking at the fifteen-year-old sideways, his eyebrows creased. L looked annoyed, but a bit vulnerable, and was looking at the wardrobe for some reason.

_Why won't he look at me... Hold on, is he trying to cover this up...?_

Light gave an internal shrug and lied on his bed, pulling the towel over the more exposed areas of his person.

L then faced him, now noticing that he was now not the one being looked at.

Light breathed out, and stared at HIS bedroom door (because the fact that it was _his_ bedroom was still standing). He curled up slightly, and a little voice at the back of his head began to talk.

_Why did Mum have to walk in like that? That was so embarrassing, and I can't believe she would... think that about me and _him_. As if the situation would be anything like _that_! _

Light bit his lip.

_I could have dealt with the whole thing perfectly, all by myself. If she didn't walk in, the whole thing could have gone perfectly to plan! Not that I had a plan, but I would make one!_

Light felt the want to roll over, but he was aware that if he did, he'd probably be naked again.

_I mean, I don't even know why I'm making such a deal of this... It's not as if we were doing anything, or were planning to... Woah, wait a minute!_

Light gripped the covers. Was that... wilfulness, or longing, or disappointment he was feeling?

_Why?_ He asked himself. _What would of been different if she hadn't burst in...?_

Light shivered, disturbed. He felt like he was being watched. His head turned at L, who was now standing and looking down at him. They looked at each other for what seemed like five minutes.

"_..._What?"

L gave a small smile and turned away. It creeped Light out.

L paused, making sure Light had let his guard down. Light glared at his back, waiting for him to say something as L turned back to patiently scan his body.

Light was getting annoyed. "_What?_"

L chewed his thumb, reminding Light of some sort of pervy monkey. "I was just thinking," he said, in a simple yet cheerful voice, "that Light has good legs."

Light froze as if L was a bear that was about to tear him to shreds.

L started to walk towards the bathroom, yet again. He took about four steps, then paused when he noticed he wasn't being followed.

"Light?"

L turned to see Light remaining on the bed, curled up and covering himself with his towel. He didn't raise his head, instead opting for covering his blushing face with his arms. L frowned, and walked over to the bed. He poked Light's back.

"Come along, we have got to clean up."

"You can have a shower by yourself." Came the muffled reply, " I'll wait 'til tomorrow."

L breathed out heavily, and sat down behind the fourteen-year-old. "Do not be a pain, Light. Come and have a shower with me."

Upon hearing those words, Light curled up a little more, blushing harder than before.

"... You don't know how weird that sounded."

L crooked his head, apparently confused_._ "Light-kun needs to have a shower with me. I do not know how that sounds, as you say, weird."

Light laughed, which surprised L. "It sounds weird, L. Leave it at that." Light buried his face in the pillow. "Just go without me."

L sighed again, and stood up. "Do not make me force you, Light-kun."

Light scoffed. "As if."

L gave a small external smile, mirroring his internal one, leant forward and slid one arm underneath Light's side. Light sprung up, which made the task of carrying him so much more easier.

"L! What are you- -?"

L then wrapped an arm around Light's legs.

"Let g-go!"

Light was then lifted from the bed, and was being carried towards the bathroom, bridal style, by L. The towel fell from Light's body, leaving him bare yet again.

"L, the towel...!"

"Leave it be. It's not like Light will need it, will he?"

Light froze against L's chest. It was surprisingly warm, and was covered in pale flesh, just like the rest of him. Light could feel L's arm muscles tense as they held him, and he bit down on his lip. It felt weird, L's chest, against Light's bare skin. The skin of his hip, and his arm... Light didn't expect to get goosebumps. He raised his arms again, to hide his cheeks. He knew that they must be at least lilac by now, from all the intimate contact...

"Put me down already." Light mumbled.

L shook his head.

"If I was to do so, Light-kun would be bothered by his lack of hygiene, which may I add is simple overreacting, and would proceed to do nothing but whine all night. I do not require much sleep, Light, but I like my silence." That comment could also be heard as _I'm not doing this for your benefit._

L paused, and stared a little at Light's face. "And perhaps it is better if Light himself was not bothered by the thought, yes?"

_Wait a minute... is that supposed to be concern? Did he just actually attempt to sound _worried _for me?_

He looked up at L's face, and upon seeing how blank it was, dismissed the thought. Even so, Light curled up slightly in L's arms, now feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

XXX

L half sat-down, half-dropped Light-kun onto the stool in the bathroom, and Light fell gracefully with a thump. All traces of kinship from beforehand had dissolved in the short distance between the bed and the shower.

"Ow..." Light growled, "... Do you even know the meaning of gentle?"

L busied himself with sorting out which bottles of alkali he thought looked like shampoo and which he thought looked like bleach (hoping his intuition was a good as he believed all the while, for if he got the two mixed up it could result in disastrous consequences) as Light folded his legs and pouted.

"Fine, I'll shower," he scowled, "but only on the condition that... L, are you listening?"

Light scowled harder as he saw the older boy in the midst of a staring contest with some conditioner. He went to stand up, but then remembered that he lacked a towel and had been naked in front of L enough for one day.

"L, why are you checking out that bottle of Shiki-Oriori?" L glanced at Light, and then went back to the bottle.

"Ohhh," he murmured, giving the bottle a poke, "so that is what it is."

A moment of awkward silence passed.

"...L?"

"Yes, Light?"

"... You can't read Japanese, can you?"

Silence.

"... L?"

"Yes?"

"I won't tell anyone."

Silence.

"... L?"

"You are testing my patience, Light."

"Oh, okay..."

Silence.

"... I just thought I'd say you wouldn't want to use that."

"... Hm."

More silence.

Light leaned forward, careful not to reveal himself, and pointed to a bottle near it. "Use that instead."

"..."

"... It's just that, Shiki-Oriori is for women."

"..."

Light hugged himself. _This is going to take longer than expected..._

After finally convincing L that not being able to read Japanese doesn't make him any less smarter – though Light did this very reluctantly, and would've kept his ego unrivalled had it not been for the fact that standing naked in a shower space without the hot water on isn't the warmest pastime in the world- L eventually managed to use the right products.

Light refused to move from his spot, since Light very much disliked the idea of being naked around other people, L especially, though L himself didn't seem to actually care. No, compared to Light, L seemed like the most carefree person in the world. And Light couldn't bear to watch as L simply shrugged the towel off, letting it fall to the floor, and walked around the bathing space stark naked. No, Light couldn't bring himself to look. Not after what had happened when Light had been getting changed... he promised himself he would never let his mind wonder again.

And it was becoming increasingly hard and annoying to achieve this when the being who had caused those wonderings was standing in front of him, completely naked and had shampoo lather slowly sliding down his back, towards the parting of his ass, and continue down his legs.

Light squeezed his legs together even more, content with getting this gruellingexperience over and done with. He cautiously ran his hands through his hair, rubbing in the gel. The silence that blanketed the room was slightly painful, and it was difficult to get his hair wet when there was only one shower nozzle and L was in its path. And God forbid Light stand up and move next to L.

L ducked under the running water, and washed the shampoo out of his black hair. He watched the foam drown down the plughole, swirling as it disappeared. He felt that it was somewhat of a miracle that he could still move, as the density of the atmosphere in the room was so thick, it made him think of rushing through the mud back in those random obstacle courses in England. So viscous and dark. Picking up a bottle from the selection Light had picked out for him, L let the substance drizzle and collect in the palm of his hand, and began to rub it into his skin.

"This situation here... is what you would believe to be awkward, isn't it, Light?"

Light didn't look at L. "You could say that. Be careful you don't use my stuff."

"I'll assume I know which, out of these bottles I have here, is yours and which is available for use. Why is it awkward?"

"Because we are both currently naked and out of favour with each other. The blue and black one, and the purplish-pink one. Those are mine."

"Alright, I won't touch them. Can we do something to make the situation less tense?"

"Not really. I mean, you could stop being an asshole, but I don't think you'd get how to accomplish that."

"Perhaps we could attempt to engage in proper conversation?"

"Me and you? I don't think so." The idea of doing so reminded Light of a freight train chatting to a hammock.

L shrugged internally. "You could at least try, Light."

"Don't, "You could at least try" me!" Light's tone was harsh, but not raised in any way. "That's all I've been trying to do when it comes to interacting with you, but you just brush it off as if I'm a complete stranger!"

"You are, to be frank."

"... True."

And there it was again – a small opening for peace, but it was probably going to be rejected soon enough.

XXX

AND THAT'S CHAPTER THREE RE-WRITTEN.

Almost done, folks.


	4. Of early mornings and delicate romances

Awww, I've been in love with the ideas I conjured up for this story. I keep drawing these ideas, but then I feel bad, because shota isn't usually my thing. I'm eeeeeeevil.

ANYWAY, this chapter is dedicated to **Moonphase9** (yet again- and yes, every time I remember the joke about 'sexy underage kids' I still smile. For those who are wondering, it isn't as perverted a conversation as you may think) who helped me come up with the idea that begins in this chapter. It's awesome, and I'm thankful to all that have helped so far, or who may in the future.

Cue the SCHOOL TRIP ARC! BEHOLD THE ULTIMATE REALISATION! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! TRY AND HIDE THE SUGAR FROM ME NOW!

* * *

_Light shrank into his seat on the hired coach, and could feel heat... coming from somewhere. But where? A shadow rose from nowhere, and the last thing Light saw was two dark rimmed, black eyes..._

"Bwah!"

Light woke from his dream with a jump, and sweat covered his body from head to toe. His heartbeat raced as he gazed at his window, streams of early morning light sneaking through the blinds. He placed a hand on his forehead, though slapping himself in the face would be a more appropriate description of his actions, and turned to the digital alarm clock on his bedside table. It was five past four in the morning, and the room felt very warm. Light knew the radiator was on, but surely not this high?

Light sat up, and groaned quietly. He shivered as he remembered the trials and tribulations of the night before. He wanted to sleep, but was too annoyed by both his dream and his memory of the night before.

His throat suddenly felt extremely dry._ I should get something to drink..._

Light gave another groan, and swung his legs out from underneath the covers. He pulled himself up, walked one step, two step-

At this point it should be known he forgot to turn the light on-

And on the third step, he fell right onto his perfect face.

"Ahhh, my fucking nose!"

A sleepy voice came from down the hall, from his parent's room. "Lang... uage..."

Light pulled himself up and took another step in the opposite direction, towards his bed, only to fall again. Luckily, this time he fell onto the bed. Light reached over and yanked at the bed lamp lead.

"What the hell--?"

Light gave an even deeper groan when he saw L leaning up against the bed, with one leg tucked up to him and the other outstretched suspiciously.

L didn't look at Light. "... You are up early."

_Thwack._

L winced, but said nothing as Light punched him over the head.

Light scowled. "Trust me, that hurt me a lot more than you." Light shook his hand to emphasise the point.

L stifled a snort. "My grandfather always said I was hard headed."

"It's a miracle he can tell, with that disgrace of a fro'."

"If I had hair more like Light-kun's, would it honestly make half a difference?"

Light gave a cruel smile. "Dunno, you could probably get more girls that way. Japanese girls like _gajin _guys."

Instead of the expected reaction, L wrinkled his nose in what seemed to be disgust. "Why would I want that?"

Light was taken aback. "Whuh...? Why _wouldn't_ you?"

L stood up, and stretched out his arms, giving a lethargic yawn. His pyjama trousers fell down slightly, revealing the top of L's abdomen. "I'm bored, let's do something."

"Let's? Where did the plural come from?"

Light pulled himself back into bed, and pulled the covers over his head. "You can do whatever you like, but I'm going back to sleep."

Light breathed out, his pride preventing him from getting something to quench his thirst. It meant that he would have to spend time around that freak standing over there, and that was unwanted. Yes, it was unwanted, he didn't want it to happen, he didn't like the idea of the situation, end of story. And anyway, sleep was so much nicer than standing up and actually moving, wasn't it? So much warmer, too. And comfortable...

However, that comfortableness was destroyed as a weight straddled his hips.

_W-what the hell...?!_

A hand slipped gently up Light's back from the other side of the duvet, tracing the creases with it's fingers, and the weight was spread more evenly as it leaned over Light. A delicate finger pulled away the material covering the back of Light's head, and a pair of lips exhaled over the skin of his ear. "Light-kun, you should get up. It has been soooo boring..."

Light got goosebumps as he felt another finger trace a circle on the area of his cheek, in front of his ear. What _exactly _was L doing? And why was he talking in such a bloody sultry voice? _Th-this is a trap, this bastard's got it in for me..._ Light thought as his cheeks turned redder and redder. Surely it was too _goddamn early_ for this kind of behaviour?

L straightened his back out, causing his abdomen to push into Light's side.

"I have been awake for an _extreeeemely _long time, and it has been no fun _whatsoever._"

L decided to push Light a little further. He placed his hand on Light's cheek affectionately."Can we please do something, Light-kun? I will do _anything_ right now, just to dispose of this boredom...~"

L smirked as he felt Light fidget underneath him. _Light-kun is becoming either extremely annoyed, or embarrassed... or perhaps just uncomfortable..._

"L-kun," came a muffled voice from underneath the duvet, "I-it's getting hot... hard to breathe under here..."

"Of course," L jumped off of Light, hiding a cunning smile. Well, he thought it was a cunning smile. Then he thought about how hardly anyone uses the word cunning anymore, and said the word in his head too much, and started thinking how weird it sounded, and asked himself why they chose that particular word to be used as another meaning for sneaky-

By this time, Light had pulled himself out of bed and was giving L a poisonous look. L turned around, and returned with a creepy smile. Well, he thought it was a creepy smile, and then he started wondering about-

Ahem, I doubt we care.

"You better have something interesting in mind, _Lawliet-san_," Light scowled, "otherwise I'm afraid I'll have to castrate you on the account of both waking me up in the early hours of a Saturday morning and sexual harassment."

L paused. "The first offense I understand, but sexual harassment?" L shook his head, as if in distaste. "Do not think so highly of yourself, Light-kun. Oh, and call me Lawliet-san again and it is you who will be castrated, my friend."

"I'm not your friend."

"I never said you were."

"You just did."

"It is just a saying. It is used especially against those who are considered anything but friends."

For some strange reason, as soon as he heard 'anything but friends', Light felt a pang of disappointment.

"... The word 'friend' is absent from your vocabulary."

"If so, then how was I able to pronounce it so clearly?"

"... Tch."

Light clicked his tongue and turned away, now under the belief he had officially had enough of L for today. And he'd only talked to him for less than ten minutes...

Light wrapped himself in his duvet once again. He hid his head, and curled up into a ball on top of his bed, much like a defending armadillo or frightened tortoise.

L poked the mass of cloth.

"Thiss ov, I'm mot pwaywing viv you."

"I'm not in the mood to, as you put it, _pway_ anymore." L shrugged and stood up. Light poked the upper part of his head out of the covers.

"How wong haf you been awake, anyway?"

L turned, and narrowed his eyes. "Stupid question," he muttered, "I never fell asleep."

There was a pause, and shuffling could be heard as Light sat up.

"You... have been awake _all this time?"_

L said nothing, but nodded.

Light stared at L. This guy... was full of surprises. It was astonishing how little he knew about L, Light realized. Astonishing... and irritating. They were supposed to play happy families for the next what, one thousand and ninety-five days? And this weirdo hadn't told him anything about himself. How... pesky. Light gazed sullenly at the raven haired nuisance leaning against his bed.

Suddenly, Light found himself wanting to know everything about him.

Light wondered. He wondered what was L's favourite colour, his favourite food, his birthplace, birthday... it made no sense. He'd never wanted to know so much information about one single person before. And he didn't even like him--!

L turned around to look at Light, and they both exchanged independent looks- Light's was irritated, L's was uninterested, and both of them knew sooner or later these looks would turn into words, and words would turn into punches, and punches would turn into... what?

_... hours of sulking,_ L mused.

_... sexual harassment,_ Light pondered grumpily.

***

The rain made the air humid, and inside the classroom the air stank of moisture and body odour. L stood outside the classroom, by the back door, watching the rain fall from underneath the shelter whilst enjoying the welcome coolness of outside, compared to the sticky heat inside.

There was a clicking sound as the back door opened and a redhead stepped out.

L nodded to Matt in greeting. He smiled in return, and closed the door behind him. The crimson haired boy pulled out a packet labelled, 'Benson and Hedges', and tugged out a cigarette. He lit it, and took a lengthy drag.

"Cigarettes, eh?" Matt muttered in fluent English, smoke seething from his lips, "You can't beat the stuff from home. Kind of nostalgic, isn't it?"

L ignored Matt's nicotine memoirs. "How is everyone? It's becoming a task to ignore you all."

Matt gazed out at the rain, following L's example. He'd always done that- they all did. L was the oldest boy, and he was, and always would be, 'the example'. "Mello is good, but it's paining me to be out of contact with Near."

L's head quickly turned to face Matt. "Near's out of the area?"

"Yeah, the family he's staying with have moved. He'll be out of commission for a while."

There was a pause as both of them thought of what to say. Matt was the first to come up with something- L was never that speedy in social situations.

"So, got any new information on Higuchi?"

L hesitated. "Only that he has no alibi, but doesn't have a connection either. It's becoming troublesome. I think- -"

L stopped in the middle of his sentence all of a sudden.

"What about B? You didn't tell me how he's doing."

Matt seemed to halt, and became silent. The only movement he made was to look downwards, and stare at his feet. L's nonplussed expression dissolved rapidly as he noticed Matt's change in behaviour, his glassy gaze replaced by a threatening carraige.

"Matt," he growled under his breath, "_What about B?_"

Matt shrugged, but still said nothing, and his face was one of helplessness. L gave an exasperated sigh. He gritted his teeth quietly, regretfully and reluctantly calculating the possibility that something may have gone wrong.

"...What happened?" L said after a while, his voice still carrying an aggressive undertone. His hesitance had been an attempt to dissipate his anger, but it was not working as well as he had hoped.

Matt fidgeted slightly. "We lost him. He got off the radar..." He turned away, taking another puff of the cigarette. "...again." He said, under his breath.

L raked a hand through his hair, immediately stressed. As people under pressure usually do, Matt tried to talk about as much as possible.

"W-when Mello found out, he threw a fit. He kept saying, 'I knew we should have left him at that f-ing nuthouse, he's a liability!' But I knew we n-needed him, but I didn't say anything, you know what Mello's like..."

Matt trailed off, seeing that L was getting more and more pissed by the minute. He took another drag of his cigarette anxiously, almost desperately, and beckoned towards the door. "I need to get back, they'll wonder what I'm doing." But L noticed, by the way the other boy's eyebrows creased, he was trying to get away from the now thick and now bruising atmosphere.

"You do that." L muttered, and stared at the rain for a few more seconds. At first he made no effort to move, and then, growling noiselessly, he started walking towards the opposing gate, ignoring the rain which was beginning to soak through his baggy uniform.

Matt noticed the sudden movement, and watched him go. "Where are you planning to go?" He called after his elder, his voice heavy with a nervous edge.

L stopped momentarily, his fingers entwined in the netting of the gate. He inhaled the wet air, and prepared himself, since his plan had seemed so simple and perfect at first, yet he had begun to feel doubt about the now impulsive and risky situation he was diving into. His intuition said what he was diving into, exactly, was bad waters. "I'm going to look for Beyond." He called back over his shoulder.

***

Light stared at the rain. He'd never particularly liked the rain, but he'd never really thought about something trivial like the weather before. Not until that bloody creep came along. But wait, how idiotic was that? People don't make your thought process change. How could he even blame it on L? How did he even know L was the cause? Maybe he was just bored of his routinely life, and he was starting to think differently in a weak attempt to excite him.

Speaking of L, at that moment, a familiar slouching figure stomped haphazardly, yet irritatingly, outside across the field.

Everyone else in class was too busy having small talk and writing down notes about the development of the Shinsengumi in the ancient era of Japan, blah blah blah, to notice the male student angrily storm towards the gate to the outside of school.

Light squinted to see the stranger better. _Surely that couldn't be...?_

Light fumed noiselessly in realisation. How wonderful, now Light was going to get his ass handed to him by his mother unless he saved L from delinquency. Great. Just great.

Light raised his hand, and, being a model student, the teacher noticed it immediately.

"Urakawa-sensei, may I go to the bathroom please?"

***

L ran down the street, enjoying the sweat mixed raindrops rolling down his face, amazed at how easy it had been to get off of the school premises without being spotted. No one had noticed him... somehow, it didn't sit right with him. For some reason, he felt like something was out of place...

L spotted the sharp turn ahead, and adjusted his speed to change direction. However, there was an unforeseen circumstance.

As L went to turn, arms wrapped around his neck and L was kneed in the back of his leg, forcing him down. L fell flat on his face, and hissed as he felt the concrete scrape at his skin. L immediately rolled over on top of the assaulter, pinning down their arms and straddling them.

The attacker turned victim glared up at L, panting, out of breath all the while.

"You... idiot!"

L stared at Light for a moment, at his dishevelled auburn hair and heated brown eyes, and thought, for a moment: _This boy is not supposed to be male. He is too damn feminine. I bet he ran all the way here like a girl. What an irritating, pansy annoyance._

L sniggered at his own thoughts, receiving a sneer from Light. "How dare you! I'm playing truant because _you_ got bored and decided to _piss off_ somewhere!"

L shrugged, not making any move to get off of Light. "That was your choice, Light-kun, not mine. If you hate this so much, go back."

Light begrudgingly also made no move to remove L from his person. "I had to follow you. How annoying would it be if you got caught- -"

"I never get caught."

"- - and I got the blame, as your only member of so called kin?! And why do you say that as if you've done this routine a million times before?!"

L chewed his thumb, letting go of Light's left hand, and leaning back nonchalantly. He kept his eyes on Light, as he leant back and his groin started to shift towards Light's own. Thought Light pretended not to notice, his body did, and his cheeks slowly started to turn pink. Light gritted his teeth, annoyed at himself for letting the perv make his hair go on end.

"Get off me. Now."

"... I don't feel like it."

"It's really uncomfortable. _Remove_ yourself."

L gave a wicked smile, and rolled his hips.

"Eh- -L--!"

It was only once, and the look on Light's face was worth the punch L received seconds later.

"B-bastard," Light muttered, his voice somehow soft, "don't t-touch me like that."

L smirked. _So easy_.

L pulled himself up, and briskly started to jog away. Light instantly grabbed L's arm, the sudden tension holding the fifteen year old back.

"Where are you going?"

"... To see an old friend. Don't follow me."

Light clicked his tongue, and shook his head violently. It reminded L somewhat of a horse. "Tch, don't give me that mysterious bullshit! I'm not going to sneak out of class for ten minutes, which is pretty suspicious in itself, and then just turn back!"

L rolled his eyes, and tugged his arm away. Light flinched at L's unusual activeness, not to mention all the immediate hostility.

"Anyway, I thought you were new to Japan- -"

"Yeah, well," L interrupted, with an irritated, anxious yet violent edge to his usually deep and empty voice, "I just found out, and I _really_ can't wait to see him. He can't speak a word of Japanese, and has a really awful accent, you know, that deep, mocking tone, in fact, I don't really like him at all."

Light crossed his arms, now equally irritated. "So, he's kinda like... _you then_, yes?"

Light knew the comment was an insult, but he hadn't expected to get punched.

Bubbles of pain in his cheek exploded as L's fist smashed angrily into the side of Light's face, and his other cheeks felt just as bad as another bony hand slammed him into the wall on the side of the pathway. Skinny fingers grasped at his jaw, pushing him back, and raising him up at the same time, closing around his neck.

"_Don't you ever_," came a baleful, black voice, "_ever_ say. He's. Like. Me. I will, and I mean will, strangle you, snap your throat, and then punch you so hard all your oh so fucking delicate teeth fall out, and then I will make you eat them. One. By. One." Light looked down at L's face. He was so used to that blank, emotionless face, the twisted, dark features of the one facing him now were unrecognisable.

L pulled him forwards, and then slammed him against the wall. "Do you understand?" L barked, "I will make you bleed. _A lot._"

Light nodded awkwardly, gasped for oxygen as he was finally released, and fell to the floor. He trailed, his hand trembling, his neck. He'd never been so scared. He... he actually thought L was going to kill him.

He slowly raised his head to look at his suspected killer, who was now becoming more recognisable by the minute, as he calmed down. The older boy fell against the wall, and held his head in his hands. His face was now void of emotion, however, Light now knew that was a all a facade.

H shuffled forward carefully, and placed a hand lightly on L's shoulder. When L didn't shake it off, he held onto it in a way he hoped was comforting.

"... I'm sorry. I was being..." Dare he say it? It was painful enough to have to apologise. "... childish." Ugh, the word left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was as if he'd just ate some orange peel.

L didn't reply.

Light leaned closer, coming toward L's head, in an attempt to show that by approaching him, he wasn't scared of L... it was an attempt to show him he trusted him.

"I didn't mean to strike a nerve. I mean, I did, but I didn't think it would be so off-limits... I-I mean, I didn't know it was a boundary, and well, um..." _God, I suck at apologies. _"What I'm trying to say is, I'm really sorry..."

"Light-kun, please don't talk."

Light paused, and said, in a quieter voice, "I really don't mean half of the things I say.... really."

L didn't say anything, neither moved.

Light continued. "I mean it. I don't think you're that bad a guy, in all, you're just... really annoying. And rude, and arrogant, but also, you're... kinda... nice?"

"You really should be quiet now."

Light was quiet again for an estimate of about seven seconds, and then started again. "Actually, I just remembered. You haven't told me anything about you, have you? I mean, my mum did say, since you're staying here for long, you should let us get to know you- -"

"Light-kun," L interrupted, "Could you come here please?"

"Huh? Oh, sure."

Light pulled himself closer to L, and sat down exactly next to him, leaning against the wall. It felt weird that their uniforms brushed as they moved, and he could feel the warmth of L's skin through the black material. It felt... good. It was as if they weren't two people that constantly fought, who pretended to maintain a love/hate relationship, who constantly tiptoed around each other, but instead just... how do you say it? Just friends. Not best friends, or enemies either. Just friends. The title itself sounded interesting- it meant to be happy with each other's company, but to have boundaries. It was a position of comfortability.

But Light... for some reason, he didn't like it. It felt... inadequate? Was that it? No. Light didn't want this. They weren't like that. But did he want them to be like that? No, he didn't. Wait, then what did he want?

The warmth from L's arm was inviting. Despite what he thought, it would be nice to pretend, wouldn't it? To pretend that they were close. To pretend they were friends. But then, what were they in reality? Were they enemies? No... Light didn't hate L. Did he like L? Maybe. The guy could probably be likeable. Probably. Hopefully. He stared at his hands, which were holding onto each other, thoughtfully. Perhaps he should say something.

"Anyway," Light said, extremely soft now they were in such close quarters, "I don't have anything against you. So, I'll say again- -"

"Light-kun?" L interjected again. Light looked up to face L in reaction.

But before Light could say anything, a single syllable, he felt a sudden warmth graze his wrist, and L's face was against his own. It was a satisfying warmth, but it was sudden, sudden enough to breach Light's personal bubble, but slow enough for him to feel it. He could feel pleasant, soft... flesh, was it? And he could smell... burnt sugar. It was strong, but also mixed with a smell of foreign soap. It wasn't heady, more... light. He could taste an almost metallic flavour, but it was definitely heated and had a sweet edge to it.

It was at that moment, despite being through the experience many times before, Light realized that L was kissing him.

It didn't feel like other kisses. No, girl's lips were more delicate, their lips thicker. It had always bugged Light how they would wear thick perfume, despite being so young, to impress him. It also annoyed him how they dressed, and how they behaved. Their make-up, too. He'd always hated the taste of lipstick. And he thought eye make-up was awful. When they kissed, the girls wouldn't do anything. He would have to initiate the kiss, to be polite.

However, this time he was the one being kissed.

L's lips were soft, but thinner than a girl's, and he smelt natural, untouched by any artificial scents. He smelt clean. Not overpowering... refreshing. He didn't push desperately like the girls would... just gently, encouragingly. It was a kiss that said, I don't really care, but I'll try. It was weird, but that's how it felt to Light.

And then reality came crashing down.

_WAIT A MINUTE, HE. IS. KISSING. ME!_

"!!"

Light pulled himself back, away from L, and fell onto the floor. He panted, and then came the realisation of what just happened.

He pointed at L accusingly.

"Y-you...! You _kissed _me! What are y-you doing, freak?!"

L shrugged, but he smiled slightly. "What a shame, you were enjoying it as well." He stood up, and put his hands in his pockets, returning to his slouched posture. "If you must know, I was getting you to shut up. Though, I think it would be better if you believed your own opinions."

_God, he is not going to let this go! I'll never live this down!_

L had started to walk away. When he noticed Light hadn't moved to follow him, he continued to walk in the opposite direction. "_Ja ne_, Light-kun."

Light growled as he watched the smirking boy leave him. "Listen, you deranged bastard!" He cried after L, "Forget what just happened! That meant nothing, you hear me? _Ecchi!"_

L raised a hand in farewell, as he left Light.

***

As two boys shared a first kiss next to a crimson bricked wall, envious eyes watched with unfathomable hate. Their bloody pigment seemed to grow more primal upon every glimpse, and their owner's twisted sneer was one of utter distaste. He scooped a handful of Robertson's strawberry jam out of its jar, using his hand as a scoop. He fed himself furiously, quickly sucking his fingers of any residue before going back for more.

"How dare he. How _dare he!" _The boy rasped, the harsh tone grating at his throat.

* * *

Heehee, character intros are fun. First off, volcab-

Ja ne- a casual goodbye... I think.

Ecchi- this can either mean porn or pervert.

This'll prolly be the longest chapter I've written... don't expect anymore. It took me ages to decide which story to cover... T-T Oh, and to any DarkLinkxLink lovers out there, I'm writing a one-shot for it. Yeah. I can advertise myself. Look out for it~


	5. Antagonist, Revelations, Puberty? Sucks

I recently finished Persona 3 (shout out to the fellow fans out there) and it was so sad. I still want to cry every time I think about it. Damn myself for being so emotional! Words of advice, if you do as I did, and finished the game, don't listen to 'The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku' afterwards. You will cry. A lot. ಥ_ಥ

For some reason, Sachiko in this fic reminds me of Cartman's mum in South Park... ಠ_ಠ

The hum of the security TVs' was endless. It was really annoying.

The sickly scent of sweet jam hung in the air like an executed criminal, and crimson stains covered the soft felt blanket. There was a mild slurping sound as sugary confection travelled from jar to mouth, and a pink tongue slipped out to lap the teeth rotting substance from pale white skinned fingers.

"How disgusting. How very _vile_."

The figure sitting on the soiled piece of furniture observed. It was something he did very well- you observe, you see things people wouldn't usually see, and you escape. That's how he got away. They said they trusted him, but he hadn't believed them for one second. He knew he was being monitored, and had inquired as to why, despite already knowing.

As usual, his 'family' had underestimated him. He'd gotten away from them in a matter of days.

They'd sent him to live with such a pathetic family. So fake, a 'normal' family. What a waste of time this case was. There was a husband, who came home with his earnings, gave them to his wife, and disappeared to some hostess club. The wife, who cooked and cleaned all day, looked after the children, a model housewife. The children, two girls, twins, were intelligent- well, they _thought _they were, they were actually total idiots- and 'athletic'. They dressed in pink, they wore heavy makeup and disgusting perfume, they talked non-stop.

It was all so damn annoying.

So he had done the only thing he thought worth doing- he got away. He had wanted to kill-off one of the twins before he left, but doubted that would be a welcome goodbye present, and wouldn't exactly be inconspicuous. He managed to just break two of her fingers when he slammed the front door on her hand. Not as satisfying as killing, but it made him feel good enough.

It wouldn't be long before _he_ caught him, anyway.

_So, why not enjoy my freedom_, he'd thought. Why not make the most of it?

He decided he would spy on _that boy_ until _he_ caught up with him. It would be fun, to see _him _struggle in the routine of daily life, the daily life of 'the normal people'.

But the figure had seen something that was difficult to comprehend. It was _that boy_... being happy. _Kissing _another boy_. _It sounded impossible. _He_ was not the sort to flirt, to touch, to... _to kiss_. It sounded so _disgusting._ So vile. With another boy... ugh, how awful. How wrong.

So, how dare him. How dare _that boy_ be happy.

When Light returned home that evening, he promised himself he would quickly fit in a shower before L got home. After that... after today, Light _did not_ want to be in an enclosed, wet space, whilst naked, with a pervert who had forcibly kissed him. Even if he _had_ gotten caught up and had somehow enjoyed it. Even if he _had _encouraged it. _Dammit, stop thinking! You've started to work against yourself!_

Light yawned, and pulled out his front door key. There was a satisfying click as the door opened, and he instantly dumped his schoolbag on the floor, abandoning his shoes next to it.

"_Tadaima..."_ He called sleepily.

"_Okaerinasai!"_ came his mother's reply.

"_Okaeri, Niiiiiiii-chaaaaaan!"_ Sayu called back, with an unnecessarily elongated 'big brother'.

Light ignored his strange, strange sibling and lethargically climbed the stairs. His feet seemed heavier than usual, and he felt the need for energy nagging at him. The need for sugar, perhaps? God, he felt awful. He felt tired. He felt glucose-deprived... therefore, although it disturbed him, he felt like L on a bad day. Imagine it. A grumpy L. Light wanted to punch the raven haired boy already. Then again, why? L didn't do anything. _I just said L has raven hair... I wonder when people decided to use raven as another word for black..._

_Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute. Quit thinking about the origins of words no-one cares about, and focus on this instead- why am I thinking of him again?_

Light shook his head in frustration.

_I don't care about him! I don't even like him! Why... why did he even do that...?_

Light was, of course referring to the very kiss he had shared (whilst receiving it as if he was on drugs, now Light was sure it took longer for him to realize he was being kissed by L than it took to find a decent hand wash in the middle of a remote rainforest off the coast of Colombia) with a certain so-called pervert. Light touched his lips as he entered his bedroom, thinking about it again. He didn't want to, but his own conscience seemed to be waging a vendetta on him due to years of overuse, so it replayed in his head over and over again, like a broken record or a Chris Rea album _{yes, he is that boring}. _

He had smelt L. He had felt L. He had... _tasted L_. The bittersweet smell of burning sugar and the warm, metallic taste. It had reminded him of blood, almost. But it was a weird type of blood, the type of blood you start licking and can't stop, like from a cut on your thumb. As if Light was some sort of mortal vampire.

_Ugh, I'm thinking this way about L.I understand the quote 'what he doesn't know won't hurt him', but there is certainly a limit._

Light shrugged off his school blazer and proceeded to undo the buttons on his plain white shirt. There was a nagging thought at the back of his head, the feeling as if he had forgotten something. Something important... something he could lose a serious amount of blood for...

Oh wait. He'd let L get away, hadn't he?

_Oh, motherfu- -_

Grunting as he shook his leg, L groaned as he tended to the scorching stitch in his side. He'd been running for what, forty-five minutes? Not a record, but he could do better, L was too tired to come up with anything else, and so he blamed the change in daylight savings.

Exhausted, L leaned against the wooden fence outlining a small house on the outskirts of Shinjuku. Running a hand through his hair, irritated, he wondered how long it would take him to find the little psycho twerp who'd managed to escape them... again. L took time to pause and think about the situation. His name was Beyond Birthday, he was almost fifteen and already had a record of psychotic and anti-social behaviour. _Almost fifteen, eh? That's quite close to Light's age, isn't it? Then again, Light _looks_ much younger than all of us..._

_Wait, why am I comparing him to us? He has nothing to do with our investigations._

L smiled and watched as other teenagers walked past in a small group, staying close to the illuminated street lamps. He'd really gotten one over Light today, hadn't he? Light's face was a picture. For a moment, L actually thought he was going to kiss back, but then he finally woke up and called L a pervert. _Hnh, whatever_. L began to chew on his thumb contentedly. Light _had_ been cute, in his defensiveness. L had to hand it to him, that boy was the first person he met that could look flattering with a blush. Other people just tended to look... out of breath.

Light had tasted weird, though. L hadn't used tongue, but the younger boy's mouth was slightly open at the beginning, and L had accidently gotten a bit of his flavour. Light tasted like the layer of cream you get on top of coffee, with the usual metallic taste of the mouth. It must have been some kind of sweet he ate from before.

L, grinning, decided it would be most sensible to continue his search for the mental patient tomorrow. It was getting late, and he didn't want Sachiko-san to worry.

The hot water rushed down Light's body, and he couldn't help but sigh.

That's what girls do, isn't it? When they like a boy. Light was going to have to stop sighing. He didn't like anyone. Oh no, he didn't like L. L was a like ... a... a rapist. Yeah, a very _modest_ rapist, who just kisses you.

Light stopped showering for a moment. _How the hell does that make any sense? A _modest _rapist?_

As Light continued, he continued to argue with himself like a balloon with a needle inside. _Alright, not a fully fledged rapist, just a borderline one. _

_Oh come on, now you're just making excuses!_

_Well, they're not excuses if they're the truth._

_Okay, okay, just tell me this. At what time, in your life, did you think this guy was capable of committing _sexual assault_ on another minor?_

_What, you want a list?_

"Tadaima."

"Oh, okaerinasai, L-kun! Where were you?"

_Ah, shit._

"Sooooo..."

"So..."

The two boys sat next to each other on the sofa in the front room, whilst Light looked thoroughly annoyed in his bath robe. L just sat there, while watching Sayu's reactions to the Doraemon cartoon on the TV. She kept jumping up and down, and every now and then she'd shout at the television. It reminded him of how Near used to react when he used to watch Number Castle when he was little, back in the UK. Then again, Near and Sayu were now almost the same age- Near maybe younger- and he couldn't remember the last time the albino had been so enthusiastic about a children's program. He'd have to tell him about it when he next saw him.

Sachiko waltzed in, feeling like one of those don't-mess-with-me housewives you see on the modern day drama programs they always show in the middle of the afternoon.

She stood opposite the two.

"I'm rather disappointed in you both."

"But I didn't do anything." Light deadpanned.

"Light-kun," his mother cooed, "it was your responsibility to keep an eye on L-kun and make sure he didn't get lost!"

"But I didn't get lost." L said, also in a deadpan tone. "I willingly left. Light-kun tried to stop me, but I needed to do something of urgency."

Light whirled onto the other boy. "_What?_ Why are you defending me?"

L shrugged. "I'm in a generous mood. And I felt the need to repay you after our little 'incident' today."

Sachiko frowned, and turned to L. "Incident? What incident?"

"Nothing!" Light shouted, waving his arms in order to distract his mother's attention away from L, in case he decided to go ahead and tell her about 'that'. "Nothing happened, no-one did anything, nothing was exchanged, nothing!"

Sachiko gave her son a nonchalant smile. "Why, Light-kun, I didn't accuse you of anything!"

"Yes you did! You just did!"

"Yagami-san," L asked cautiously, "May I please go to the bathroom?"

"Of course, L-kun."

"What the hell?! It's _him _you're supposed to be scolding!"

L walked out of the room, ignoring Light's comment. Light glanced at the fifteen year-old as he left, and wished he didn't have to deal with this right now. He wanted to talk to L, to get him to explain what the hell he did earlier. Urgh, why was he even worried about it?

_What a shame, you were enjoying yourself as well._

That's what L had said, wasn't it? After... _that._ Was it a lie? ... Not necessarily. It had been nice... had it? Light had been pretty out of it at the time. But he did remember a speckle... a _minute_ moment when he _may _have liked it.

_Ew ew ew ew ew._

What the hell was he saying? This was L. L, for god's sake! He couldn't waver against such a strange, strange act. They were both guys. Hell, it wasn't right! Sure, he had nothing against other people who swung that way, but Light Yagami was _not_ gay! He'd had too many years of the English nickname Ya-gay-mi, he was not going to give into this, dammit!

Ugh, this was too much.

Light shook his head in frustration, and rushed past L. L raised an eyebrow at such impulsive behaviour, but said nothing. He glanced after Light. The boy had his towel pulled up over his chest, like a woman would. _Once again_, L thought distastefully, _Light Yagami has proven himself to be an extremely... girly individual._

_I wonder if his reactions are feminine too?_

"Light? Light-kun, where do you think you're going? Light!"

Ignoring his mother's calls, Light trudged upstairs, and slammed his bedroom door behind him. He growled as he slammed his ass down on his desk chair, thoroughly irritated with the situation. He leaned on the palm of his hand, his brow furrowed. He looked like a replica of that statue, the Thinker, but much more pansy-ish. He turned his back to the door, and growled into his hand. He had to find a way to figure out the whole mess. He did not like L in that way! But wait... what was L to him, anyway? Definitely not a friend, yet he could be one. Urgh, this was not right!

He heard the door creak as L slowly opened it. After he had seen the coast was clear and that Light wasn't planning to use violence to explain his mood, he came to the conclusion that it was safe to proceed.

"Light-kun."

L wondered, was it that kiss that had put Light into this mood? It was highly probable. L was, if he was to give a sensible estimate, 64% sure that Light was pissed off because L had either provoked feelings in him he was unsure of, or L had done something which Light was afraid would make their relationship awkward. If it was the former, L could happily empathise. He'd been through it himself, and even he was still unsure of himself. He'd figured that in the end the only thing you can do is do what you feel comfortable with. However, he had a feeling that Light was far from decided.

"Light-kun, your mother isn't happy."

"Screw her, I don't care."

Ouch. That was a little too much. He'd underestimated Light.

"Light-kun," L started, and sat on the bed, tucking his legs up to his chest. Light glanced at the strange movement, but said nothing.

"Light-kun, may I ask for your forgiveness?"

Light furrowed his brow even more. "What for?"

"For my _recent behaviour_."

"... I don't... I'm sorry, I don't get your drift."

"... It seems I've underestimated your anger, but overestimated your intelligence."

Light clicked his tongue in aggravation and turned away. "Tch, fuck off. I'm not in the mood."

L smiled at Light's now turned back. Yes, an opening for a smarmy comment! "In the mood for what, Light-kun?"

"That."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"That way you're talking. The way you're about to act, all to attain your desire."

L jumped. It was a small jump, but L truly felt it, and it scared him. What was Light talking about? His comment was surprising, and that surprise was mixed with the surprise of Light's sudden unpredictability, and that surprise was mixed with the surprise of L's own reaction, which was surprising in itself, and I'm going to stop saying surprising since it's becoming annoying.

But it intrigued L.

Perhaps this was a perfect moment to show a bit of affection? Damn, but what kind of affection? He wasn't the most socially apt person in the world, so he was unsure how to act. Should he act on his curiosity and leave it be, or should he act on his desire to tease Light?

_Ah, what the hell. Why not?_

L jumped off the bed, took a few steps forward and peered over Light shoulder. Sweeping an arm underneath Light's own, whilst earning a shocked flinch from Light, L leaned on Light's desk and closed in on Light's ear.

"What do you mean by that, Light-kun?"

Light snarled inwardly. He could practically hear L smirk. That coy tone, however, was... well, it was hard to describe. In his imagination, that smirk was slowly turning into a leer.

_SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP. _

Light did _not_ like him, and no matter what individual thought that dared to rear its ugly head barked at him, he was not going to falter. This bloody creep, who had _forced_ himself upon him, meant nothing. He'd had girls do the same thing to him, and it had always felt awkward as hell afterwards. But here it felt weird, and indescribable, but not in a good way.

_Urrrrgh, stop comparing him to girls! You are a man! To a man, girls are in the category of 'The people you kiss'! L is filed under 'Unknown'! A man does not kiss, or think about kissing, something that is 'unknown'!_

... _Then again, 'unknown' is a word to describe something unintelligible- when L had kissed me, he'd been way too warm. He'd definitely felt human... He feels warm now. Ah... I can feel his breath on my neck... _

Light squirmed, his voice becoming shaky. It was almost as if he was anticipating this... "I mean t-that you always d-do what you can to annoy the hell out of me. That's your desire."

Upon hearing this, L sighed grumpily, pulled himself away and shrugged. "How boring."

Light growled. Why did he suddenly feel disappointed? What the hell is possessing him to feel like this? And what did he mean by boring?

The night ended too quickly. Sachiko gave up on waiting for her son to comply, Soichiro didn't come home from work again, Sayu bawled as usual when it was time to go to bed, L hanged around Light's room like a bad ghost and Light went to sleep with too many irritating worries to count.

"Okay everyone, I have an announcement!"

Ears pricked as the teacher stood up at the front of the class

"As you know, Teraguchi-sensei is leaving next term, and as it's now approaching the end of the spring term, the principle agreed that in celebration of her future success at Toho University, the whole year will be going on a school trip to Kanogawa!"

As soon as she finished her sentence, the class erupted with muttered opinions.

"Aw, Kanogawa? Lame!"

"Cool, I love camping. Are you gonna come, Hinato-chan?..."

"I probably won't have enough money to come anyway..."

Light sighed, and gave a sideways glance at L, now sitting at a desk at the other side of the room, a row behind him (due to a seating plan re-do).

The other boy seemed nonplussed, as usual. He seemed anxious, though- he kept glancing at the seat in front of Light. It was empty, as its owner was currently absent for the day. However, in no way was that a bad thing. No, this was a good day simply because the occupant of that seat was off smoking or something. It didn't matter- he wasn't here. Which was good.

_Shhft._

There was a swiping sound as the class door was rapidly slid open, and a stern man stood at it whilst looking flaccid. His fingers were digging into the shoulder of a young blond boy, who wore a scowl like a medal.

"Uchigau-sensei," the man grumbled, "I believe this raving moron belongs in your class?"

Uchigau-sensei raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Mello-kun!" she exclaimed, her surprised tone clashing with her suddenly fatigued face, "I thought you were absent!"

"You thought wrong, then," the middle-aged man growled, "I found the beanpole shirking around with Quillish-kun."

Mello snarled. "Shut up, you elderly racist bitch. No need to point out my 'gajin-ness' every ten minutes."

"What?! That's it, you're getting a letter home for insulting school staff!"

"What do I care? It's not like they're my real parents."

Out of shot, L was massaging his temples. _Please, oh Mighty Lord in Heaven, shut this lame excuse for a genius up before he puts us all in jeopardy._

"_Please, _Orura-sensei, I will deal with it. Please let Mello-kun go so he can sit down and rejoin the class, I have an important announcement to make."

Orura-sensei scowled violently as he let go of Mello. Mello muttered something incomprehensible as he walked along to the third row and, just as he was about to sit in his seat, there was a slam as Light's face was planted violently on the desk in frustration.

"Why me...?" Mello thought he heard Light whimper. L rubbed his forehead. He had a feeling of déjà-vu.

_The sun felt warm on his skin. He was inside, so he was unsure of the actual outside temperature- nevertheless, the room temperature was certainly quite hot. He groaned and leaned back, giving a high-pitched gasp as the warmth wrapped around his groin pulsed through his body. _

"_Ah!"_

_The pale hand wrapped around his length slowly rubbed downwards, a finger slipping in an untouched place. His heart raced as the finger edged downwards, towards a reserved place, and he placed his own hand other his mouth in surprise..._

"Light-kun, wake up!"

Light opened one eye in caution. Fucking dreams again. Just when you think puberty sucks as it is, it has to give you sexual dreams only for you to remember the stupidest moments.

"Light-kun, are you awake? Light-kuuuuuuun!"

Light looked at the blonde in front of him. She shook her pigtailed head as he sighed, and rubbed the back of his head. It was somewhat uncharacteristic of him to fall asleep at lunchtime.

"Sorry, I had a restless night the other day... I must've fallen asleep."

The blonde girl gave a beaming smile, accompanied by a blush. "It's okay, Light-kun. I thought you were dead for a moment!"

Light nodded in gratitude, and flashed a modest smile. "Haha, I am a rather deep sleeper. Thanks for waking me up..."

The girl shrugged, and continued smiling brightly. "Toshita-chan and a few others looked like they were going to pull something, so I told them to get lost, too."

Light stood up, and walked up to the girl's side. "... Oh, thanks. I'm developing a fear of sleeping in public, due to what Yayuta-san did last year. That's why I regard you as a good friend. Because you have more sense than to go crazy over a guy!"

"Uh huh."

Light leaned back and watched the other students run past. "Yeah, you're definitely a good person..."

The girl smiled at his praise, and flushed slightly.

"... Misa."

Hmm, my first time at an on-purpose cliff hanger. Don't worry, I hate them as much as you do.

**EXPLANTIONS**

1~ Number Castle is a real show that aired in Britain in the late 90s (I think). It had a turkey in it, and that's all I can remember.

2~ Kanogawa is a real camping site. I was too lazy to make one up.

3~ Tadaima- means 'I'm home'. Okaerinasai- means 'welcome home'.

Reviews would be nice. That's all I'm asking for. Thank you, and goodnight XD


	6. Loose Yourself

I AM EXTREMELY SORRY FOR THE DELAY OF THIS CHAPTER. I AM BEING PROBED BY TONY THE ALIEN (Hetalia joke, he's America's alien friend) AS WE SPEAK O_o

I am extremely pissed off with at the moment (wait, ? what've they done?) because it no longer lets me put a *** when I'm changing the setting. Hopefully this hasn't affected the story too much, and I hope peeps will dismiss this.

Oh yeah, and I'm sorry I was so slow with this update. Quote on quote, shit went down (whoa, that sounds awesome and stupid at the same time.). So everything got delayed... sorry about that ...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any anime/s mentioned in this fic, or the one it's based upon. If I did, _this would _be the anime.

AUDIENCE: ... Wait, she's _alive?_

XXX

Light stared at it.

He'd never really noticed it before. Well, despite spending a majority of his time around L, he never really thought about it. It's like how if you spell a word com, it's pronounced 'ko-mm', but if you add an E, turning it into come, it's pronounced 'ku-mm'. And no, I'm not trying to make a dirty joke.

Anyway, the point is, it was one of those things he'd never bothered to question. He'd never noticed how poker-straight and rock hard it looked. But today, it stuck out like a sore thumb and itched away at Light until he found himself walking up to the older boy and poking it.

L almost jumped back, shocked at the sudden bodily contact. "What on earth...?"

"How do you do it?" Light asked, his voiced full of more awe than he expected.

"What do you mean?" L asked, confused, "Do what?"

"_That_. With _that._" Light replied, pointing at it, still staring all the while. "I mean, how do you make it stand up like that?"

"Well," L said, feeling a little more relaxed now he knew what Light was talking about, "it's kind of... always like that. I don't do anything to make it that way."

Light raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised. "So what... you don't use any products to make it go that way?"

"No," L said, in a simple manner, "it's just naturally like that."

"... Wow."

"Is it that amazing...?"

"Well, not really, but... if I didn't know better, if I was, you know, some random stranger you met on the street, I'd assume you went through some kind of routine to make it so firm."

L shrugged, slowly losing interest in the conversation. He decided to liven it up the only way he knew how- by somehow pissing off Light.

"Why do you ask, anyway?" L inquired, "Is it because you want _yours_ to be like this?"

Light grimaced and bit back a brainless 'shut up'. "Ugh, you've got to be kidding me. Girls prefer me this way, so why would I want it any other way?"

L gave a disappointed shrug. "For a bit of individualism, perhaps?"

"My brain is what separates me from others."

"Perhaps, but at first glance I wouldn't think so."

"Well, at least when they first glance at me, they don't get confused by your's _gravity defying_ length."

L shrugged. He returned to his homework, not sparing a second glance at the annoyed brunette. Light gave L one final look as he made his way out of the room, irritated that L had wound him up so much. He decided to do the childish thing and give a snide comment as he left.

"At least mine can be considered hygienic- -"

"Uwaaah!"

As Light opened his bedroom door, there was a thwack, then a thud as his mother fell in front of him, her eavesdropping now obvious. She quickly gathered herself up and gave her son a scathing look.

Light was taken aback. "What did I do now?"

"What on God's earth were you and L-kun talking about?"

There was an awkward silence as Light frowned at his mother, and slowly pointed to his head.

"We were talking about our hair."

"I can't imagine you thought it was anything else, Yagami-san."

X

"So Light-kun, what's this I hear about a school trip?"

"What about it?"

"Well, are you going? Is L-kun going?"

L made no attempts at pretending not to be asleep, as his head slowly slid off his hand which was supposed to be supporting it and slammed his chin against the table. He gave a confused noise as he awoke suddenly upon impact, and then returned to the unusual position he'd placed himself in beforehand. Light preoccupied himself with watching the spectacle, as L had done the same routine six times already that Saturday afternoon.

"I think I'm going," Light told his mother offhandedly, "But I'm unsure about L."

Light kicked L's shin swiftly. The older boy jumped halfway off his chair, and gave a shout.

"I wasn't asleep, I was simply pondering the enigmas of the origins of our religious beliefs!"

Light sighed (he was already getting used to this). "Okay, calm down there Nietzsche. I just want to know whether you're planning on going to Kanogawa with everyone else."

"... Why should I?"

"You might enjoy it. Do you like camping?"

L looked thoughtful. "Maybe. I've never really gone camping in order to, as you say, _enjoy it_ before."

Light raised his eyebrows, and felt a little bit angry that, once again, L was giving a slight insight to his private life, but not the full picture. For some reason, recently he'd found himself getting extremely fed up because of this peculiar curiosity about L. It was just... well, why wouldn't he simply be a bit more open? He'd been staying with them for four weeks already, and all he'd found out was that he was pretty multi-linguistic and didn't sleep that much.

There was an ear splitting ring as the doorbell was pressed not once, not twice, but seven times.

Sayu turned her head around from the sofa, and leaned towards the dinner table where her older brother was currently studying with L.

"Looks like your girlfriend's here, big brother!"

As soon as the word 'girlfriend' was uttered, L casted a sideways glance at Sayu, and raised an eyebrow at Light. Light instantly felt both unnerved and misunderstood.

Four seconds of staring past, slowly. Without anyone moving.

"... What?"

L said nothing, instead opting to simply turn away and huff grumpily. Light instantly felt a bit hurt- from the look on L's face, he'd done something inconsiderate. But what the hell was it?

"Light, are you going to answer the door or continue making eyes at L-kun?"

Light flushed, and then replied to his mother inquiry with a scorching glance. He stood up and made his way to the front door.

There was a click and a keen greeting as the visitor entered Light's house. L stared towards the front door, his eyes flickering with obvious curiosity, but made no move to greet the guest with Light. He was interested, though. L didn't know Light had a girlfriend- it kind of made him feel guilty. It was only for a moment or two, though, but nevertheless it _was_ a sort of remorse. If Light-kun had a girlfriend, then L had been playing with him to no fruition. Or rather, he'd been playing with someone else's toy. Either way, he'd been coveting someone else's things. Like playing ball games in a museum. Wait, what was that last one... ?

L turned his eyes back towards his homework, feigning annoyance. He ignored the bouncing blonde girl invading the room.

"L-kun," came a voice beside him, whilst a soft hand shook his shoulder, "this is Amane Misa."

L glanced momentarily at the blonde, in her strange clothing. He'd heard of certain styles in Japan, but what was this? It looked as if French Rocca and Satanic Robes met each other... in a car crash. And this girl, Misa, was caught bang in the middle. He would've felt sorry for her if it wasn't for the intimidation that hid behind her sky blue contact lenses.

She was staring at the way Light's hand lay on L's shoulder. It didn't look right... to her, anyway.

L returned back to his homework once again. "Nice to meet you."

She didn't even blink. Her voice was shrouded in something like... well, not bitter enough to be hate, but too spiteful to be simple annoyance. "Yes."

L's eyes didn't leave the paper. "So I heard you are Light's... you know."

Misa gave a high pitched laugh, but it sounded like it was being faked. It had a harsh undertone. "Ohoho, of course not." _But hey, what a rumour, eh? Jealous much?_

"Oh?" L raised an eyebrow, but still did not look at Misa. "Forgive my crudeness." _I'm the one sleeping next to him every night. You are the only jealous person here, my dear._

Misa stared sharply at the side of L's head. He sensed eyes on him, and their eyes locked. The tensity was OVER 9000 (:D). Light bit his lip as he sensed the atmosphere become thick with pressure. It felt like someone was about to start a fight.

"So, L," Misa started, her voice sprinkled with a thin and very transparent layer of sweetness, "What brings you to our country anyway?"

"If you must know," L replied, his voice edged with spiky reluctance that said, _'I reeeeeally don't want to tell you'_, "I'm on an exchange program. To improve my Japanese."

Misa gave yet another sickly sweet smile. "Oh, well, isn't that interesting?" -That sentence said, _'I didn't really want to know, so don't worry about it.' _"So, have you made many friends here?" - '_Not that I care.'_

"No. As I said, I came here to _learn,_ not to socialise." - _'Believe me when I say I don't like you.'_

"Oh? Well, that's a _shame_." – _'Not that I expected anyone would want to be friends with you. I don't like you that much either.'_

Light tensed, glancing between the two as they exchanged stares. The stares were hateful, intimidating, and somewhat angry. But, for some unexplained reason, that didn't seem to translate that way in his head.

_Wait... are they...?_

He frowned. The way they were staring at each other... were they actually... was L checking her out? Or was it vice-versa? Or just both?

Light was suddenly overtaken by... could it be... _jealousy_...? Wait, no. Light was never jealous. He'd never had reason to be jealous. He was perfect, he was smart, he was pretty (Light secretly revelled in his own narcissism) and had half of the school's student body after his fine, fine ass. There was no, no, _noooooo_ way _he_ was envious because L was making eyes with Misa, and she was smiling back. No, that couldn't happen. He wouldn't let that happen, not if L was the last human on Earth. Which he hoped never happened, because then human kind would be utterly and totally screwed. He wanted to do... something...

His fingers tightened around his arm. What... did he want to do? He wanted... to...

Light stepped forward and placed a hand on L's shoulder again. He leaned forward, bringing his face close to L's, and smiled his BESTEST EVER SMILE, LIKE IN THE MOVIES.

"So, L-kun..." Light gave off a suggestive tone. _God, why am I doing this...? _ "We have to... you know..."

L raised an eyebrow, which he was now quite accustomed to doing now. However, he smirked slightly as he noticed Misa's sudden change of expression out of the corner of his eye.

"Care to refresh my memory, Light-kun?"

Light laughed coyly. "You don't remember? You promised we would go to the baths later on... Just us...?"

"... Is that so?"

Light gave a hurt look. _Suck it, I am an awesome actor. Time to put my whiney voice and act like a pathetic bitch!_

_(... Light, you kinda are one... already... without trying...)_

"But L...!"

Both Misa and L looked taken aback.

"You're on a first name basis? Without _honorific's?"_ Misa exclaimed, trying not to sound too devastated.

"We're on a first name basis? Without _honorifics?_" L inquired in a shocked manner, trying not to sound too pleased.

Light ignored their questioning. "But that's not fair! I was so looking forward to it, because it would be just us together... alone for once..." Light was honestly pleased with how distraught he sounded.

L sighed, finally now catching on. "Oh, now I remember. Alright, alright... We'll go later, okay?" _Light is... such an awful actor sometimes... _

Whilst they exchanged their (fake) innuendo-ridden conversation littered with hints towards a relationship that was more than it seemed, Misa was paling more and more by the second. Her eyes were somewhat dewier than usual, her bottom lip was quivering, and she looked extremely uncomfortable.

Light looked up to face her. He had somehow adapted his body language to make it seem he was more friendly than usual, and he slid his hand across L's shoulder seductively.

"Misa, are you okay?"

Misa jumped, as she was slightly absorbed in the boys' actions. She quickly smiled awkwardly, and shook her head, laughing as if she hadn't noticed anything.

"O-oh, nothing! I... just kinda, you know, need to leave... Not that I want to, Light-kun!"

L rolled his eyes while she wasn't looking. _Light-kun? Why don't you just go directly to –sama?_

"Oh, is that so? But you only just got here!"

"I know, right? But, hey waddaya gonna do, eh? Parents these days! Hahahaha!"

"I thought you were leaving?" L deadpanned.

Misa's eyes turned sharp. She hesitated.

"... Yes, I guess I am. Have a nice day, _Lawliet-san_."

Light cringed. _She put an emphasis on his name! Oh shit, she's coming on to him! _Light quickly imagined himself slapping himself. _Stop thinking weird things, dammit!_

There was a shared sigh of relief as the front door clicked back into place, meaning Misa had finally left. Light rubbed the back of his head happily.

"Thank Vishnu, Buddha, Jesus and everyone else up there she's gone."

"... Uh huh."

_... What? Does he sound disappointed? Is he fucking disappointed? _Yet another mental slap. _Shut up shut up shut up!_

Light stretched, and grinned at L. "I don't even know why she comes over."

_I could hazard a guess_, L mused.

X

"Light, could you come in here and help me with dinner?"

"Fine, I'm coming!"

Light started to walk towards the kitchen, but a hand on his wrist prohibited him. He turned to see L holding onto him.

"Firstly, I want to know something."

"What is it?"

"Why did you act like that around Misa?"

Light paused. "... Who knows? I'm just... in a weird mood."

L pulled Light towards him slightly. His face was brought closer, and L examined his face for a few seconds.

"... W-what? What's wrong?"

"... I'm checking if your pupils are dilated."

"I'm not on drugs!"

"... Yeah, of course, of course..."

"Why do you sound disappointed?"

"Light! I need you in here!"

"Coming! L-kun, let me go..."

"I thought we were on a first name basis? _Without honorifics_?" L joked subtly.

"Can you _please_ drop it?"

L shook his head. "I want an explanation."

"I already told you! I was just in a- -"

Light was cut short as L quickly pulled him forward. Light felt air rush past his cheeks slightly, and fell into L's chest. He felt his pulse quicken slightly as he felt the skin of L's nose brush against his own, and he felt something soft rub against his lips. A familiar texture.

He stared at L's face, and for a moment, he couldn't move. Was it shock? Simple surprise? He didn't know. No, wait, actually, he assumed it was disgust. He breathed against the kiss. Wait, it was a kiss? Weird...

_WHAT THE FUCK._

Light, upon realisation, shoved L back with more force than anticipated. He covered his mouth with his hand, and stared at L as he simply cracked his neck and slipped past him, whilst wearing a face mixed with both satisfaction at kissing him and annoyance at Light's insistence.

"Don't like it, don't lie." He heard as L walked towards the direction of the stairs.

"LIGHT!"

"C-coming!"

X

Light strolled down the park path as the sun warmed his shoulders. He'd left a couple of minutes after he'd finished helping his mother. He needed time to think...

_Why did L keep doing that?_

What'd L said when they first met? _"I'm not interested in you."_

_Then why did he kiss me? __**Twice**__?_

Light stared at the pavement, stopping momentarily. What did it mean? Did L lie, was he actually interested in him all that time? But had just... not let on?

_But he's out of luck! I'm not gay, so it's his loss... serves him right for being so annoying... and doing all that intimate shit..._

At the mention of them being intimate, Light immediately thought of the kiss. He went slightly red, and grasped at the front of his shirt. He shivered slightly. What was going on? This was unlike him. So unlike him. He'd disliked L since the older boy had come here. And when he'd seen L look at Misa like that... He'd gotten jealous, of all things. What was it? Did he want L's attention, his hate, that much? All because of some kiss? Because of a few seconds neutrality? He asked again, _What is this?_

Light thought of L. He thought of the fifteen year-old's constantly ruffled hair, of those cold eyes that seemed to clash with his voice (L's voice said, "_I am going to get along with you, despite not caring_." L's eyes said, "_Piss off_."), of his mannerisms, the way he sat. His lips, too. They were slightly pinker than the rest of L's face, but still quite pale. They looked rather hard, and Light had assumed that they were rather chapped, but instead they were simply just soft, and didn't taste of anything, save for the taste of warm skin.

Light shivered again slightly. He thought of that time, when they were in PE, when they had just all ran fifteen-hundred metres, and L had gone to the water fountain ahead of everyone else. When Light had gotten there himself, he remembered L had water trickling down the side of his mouth. But all he could see clearly in his head, the one point that was highlighted, however, was when L had licked the water from the side of his mouth. He'd seen a tongue like that a million times over, so many times in his life, for example, when his family were eating ice cream in the summer, kids who sat in their prams and poked their tongues out, whilst thinking it to be incredibly funny, and in science when they were studying anatomy. But... but L's was...

Light bit his lip, gripping his arm. Why did he react like this? He shook his head quickly, as if doing so would throw out all the disrupting thoughts assaulting his head.

_URGH! Why is it stuck in my head?_

Light pulled himself together. _This is all L's fault. Why did he do all that stupid kissing? I want... I want to..._

Light looked up to the sky. He clenched his jaw.

_I want to hurt him for this! _

X

There was a click as L heard the front door open from Light's bedroom. He'd gotten an email from GrandFather.

_**From: GrandFather**_

_Hello L, how are you? Keeping up with your studies? I hope so. _

_ from MI5 recently got in contact with me. He says he has a promising job for you once you get back Home. If you have any new information on the current case, however, be sure to contact me. Make sure to continue asking the others for new information daily._

_I have sent, with this message, a link to the files Hamada obtained for us before he went missing last week. We fear they have been corrupted, so please be careful when inspecting them. If you can decipher anything or find the information to have tied up any loose ends, please inform either myself or Uncle. _

_**GrandFather**_

_P.S. Os says hi, and asks if you could bring home some more __**good luck charms**__ from __**a genuine temple**__. I assume you understand his request._

L massaged his temples. _Short, sweet and demanding as usual. _

L turned his head towards the bedroom door as Light entered. The younger boy crossed the floor in good time, and before L knew it, Light was standing directly above him. L looked up at him, and he looked down at L. They stared at each other for a few seconds, with L sitting on the floor and Light standing over him.

"... Can I help you, Light-kun?"

A few seconds of silence passed.

"... Light-kun, is something- -"

L was cut short as Light's knee quickly met with L's jaw. L gave a short, stifled noise of surprise, and Light smacked the side of L's head, making him fall to the side. L attempted to kick Light's stomach in defence, but missed as Light swiftly dodged it and threw himself onto L's stomach, straddling him. The fourteen year-old delivered one, two, three punches against L's cheek. Light's face didn't change- it was one of confusion, yet it was also quite undisturbed by what he was doing. He clasped L's hair, and pulled his head back.

L bit back a groan of pain. He didn't quite understand, or even know for that matter, why Light was doing this. But, like most times, he could hazard a guess. Light had probably snapped after that last kiss... but what had triggered it?

Light pulled at L's hair violently. He inspected L's face, and dug his fingernails into his scalp. He sat up a bit, and proceeded to start punching L again. L bit his lip as one of the punches were delivered, and as Light's fist crashed into L's face, the delicate skin tore, and as he pulled back his fist, Light watched as blood dripped down the side of L's mouth. His eyes widened as he realised he'd caused some damage, and he seemed to stop.

L didn't look at him. L kept his eyes closed, and Light breathed heavily as he came to terms with his own actions. What the hell had happened? What had he just done...?

Futhermore, why was he staring at L so deeply...?

Light looked away, grasping again at his shirt. He didn't know what he was doing. He was out of control. And L... L...

L didn't move. His muscles were relaxed, so Light assumed it wasn't out of fear. All that happened, the only move L dared to make was with one simple muscle – his tongue, as it crept out and licked at the side of his mouth, removing the blood. Lapping at it. He gave a slight hiss as it stung, but continued. Light watched, out of the corner of his eye. _Whoa... h-his... tongue... again...?_

He had to do something. His head was screaming at him, _Do something_. _I don't want to hurt him anymore. I don't even understand why I wanted to hurt him in the first place. I want to... I want..._

"... L... –kun..."

L didn't reply.

"You... you're doing it wrong..."

L paused at his licking, and gazed at Light.

"Then what _is_ the right way to do it?"

Light blushed, immediately. He'd regained more common sense, but he still wasn't in total control.

"You... you need..."

Light leaned forward, bringing his face closer to L's. L felt the younger boy's breath against his cheek, and did nothing, only carefully watching Light get closer and closer. Light was still flushed, still flustered, still unsure of himself... but he still continued, kept going onward, kept moving forward. He hovered over the cut, his heart slamming against his ribcage, and bent his back, approaching the blood...

"... someone else... to disinfect it..."

L froze. _Wait, did that mean he's seriously going to...?_

L didn't need an answer. He felt himself shiver slightly as something warm and wet rub against the injury. It stung at first, but didn't hurt as much as it had before when he'd attempted to do it himself. But that was probably because L was so distracted by the fourteen year-old on top of him. The sensation of his tongue lapping at the blood, the way Light would pucker his lips slightly as he cleaned the excess blood from his cheek, oh, it was almost too much. L gave a humming noise as he felt the whole of Light's mouth move against his cheek, and was becoming all to aware of his own limitations, his hormones, his human-ess on the whole. If the younger boy started to move his hips... L didn't know what he'd do. He shifted his hands down to Light's hips, and Light didn't seem to notice. He was young, and obviously starting to get slightly carried away. L observed that Light's breathing was growing heavier, and L smiled, out of Light's view. He was bored, and a little bit annoyed before, but... this, _this_ was fun. L touched at Light's hair, edging Light towards his own lips, little by little, and Light didn't seem to mind, as he was going at a pace were such a thing seemed inevitable. L's tongue crept out of his mouth, and he smirked as his tongue brushed against the corner of Light's lips, and Light gave a small sound, like an _unh_, as something rubbed against the inside of his cheek, and he realised that, once again, he was kissing L. But this time, he had gone too far, and now L's... _tongue_... was inside his mouth. It caressed the roof of his mouth, and swept over his own ligament, touching and moving against his own mouth, and Light let it, now too flustered to care. God, they were kissing, no, _tonguing _in Light's bedroom, and Light just didn't seem to care. No, wait. This was wrong. They shouldn't be doing this. No matter how it felt, this act, this involvement, this _exchange _of affection, was not supposed to be between him and the fifteen year-old. He told himself to pull away, to ignore himself as he stifled a groan, to forget this feeling of L's tongue play with the underneath of his own, but he just couldn't.

This... was more dangerous than recently thought...

X

ಥ_ಥ It's... it's finally finished... sigh of relief

Once again, I am sooooo sorry for the unreasonably and inappropriately long wait for this chapter. I made it longer than usual, and I added fanservice! HA! I have such a way with the readers looks proud Also, thanks to **Ryuno chu **for the message. After I recieved it, I got straight to writing.

REVIEWS WOULD BE NICE. HINT HINT, NUDGE NUDGE.


	7. Of the kisses you didn't know you wanted

I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS CHAPTER *runs in a circle*

The song at the beginning is my attempt at a translation, and I might have transliterated it wrong. I also had little help from WikiAnswers, but I didn't take it seriously cause I didn't think it made too much sense. It's a pretty song so I just felt like including it. Oh, and I think I'll mention that I tried really hard to reply to everyone's reviews, no matter the size (save for anonymous reviews, as I didn't know who you are...). By the way, the reason L is becoming more responsive and angry is because a mix of things, including the point that he thinks he can be like that around Light and can get away with it.

... That is all.

XXX

_So you see how everything comes to be one,  
And from your heart to your lips I become a puzzle  
You laugh, yell at me to let you go  
Before losing your grip and surrendering  
Because I'll never ask you for too much  
As you already treat me like an big kid  
We have nothing to risk  
Apart from our lives we set aside_

"**Comme des enfant" by COEUR DE PIRATE**

XXX

Light was lost.

He didn't understand himself, and was amazed by his own actions. It was the first time it had happened in his life, but then again, a lot of things he'd never experienced before had occurred since L had arrived.

For example, he'd never kissed a boy before.

He felt that L, however, had plenty of experience in many different things. Which really confused him, because L acted quite hostile to most, and his appearance was a perfect tribute to how he didn't care for what others thought of him. Ever. The way he ate food, the way his biggest reaction to anything was a raised eyebrow or an annoyed glance. And he'd always, _always_, without fail, treated Light with a sort of contempt, as if he was a number in an equation that had no use, only to be substituted, or written off as unimportant, an anomaly. He'd made Light feel like a member of the audience, who was just watching things unravel, with no affect on L, or any part of L's life in particular. Light didn't like it, because he'd always been treated as someone more important than most kids his age, because he was smarter, better looking, a mix of things. He was going to be successful in life, that's what he'd been raised to believe. He was 'perfect'. But he'd never been told the more important life lessons, such as, "good travellers walk further", or, "there will always be someone better than you at something". It had made him comfortable in his own situations, made him believe he was never out of his depth, gave him an ego.

But now he was seriously out of his depth, and it scared him, because for once in his life, he knew.

L was good at... persuasion. Physical persuasion, anyway. Or so it seemed.

L's fingers were in his hair. He could feel them move, could feel them stroke his hair, as it were. L didn't kiss like girls, or at least any of the girls Light had ever kissed, because they had just wanted, wanted, wanted, so they took, took, took. They made things uncomfortable, just threw themselves at him, wanted to lose themselves in him, wanted to _feel wanted_. But Light could never do it, because it hadn't made him feel anything, just... awkward. But L, he moved, he _did _things. Girls would poke their tongues in, maybe suck like a vacuum, making mere seconds seem like lengthy hours. L did make it seem like it was going on for a long time, but... it was different. L hit certain places, put pressure on Light's tongue, rubbed underneath, and puckered for a few seconds to catch breath, a number of things. At one point he was stroking softly, at the next he was pushing down Light's head slightly, sucking a bit, demanding more room, demanding to, in Light's view, get _deeper_. But surely kisses weren't supposed to feel like _this_. He, Light, was making noises. He was responding. He was mixed up by his own behaviour, didn't know what to feel consciously, as he must be subconsciously feeling something, but was unsure as to what exactly.

L's fingers were now drawing circles against Light's neck.

Wait, they had been kissing long enough for L to move on to something different? Exactly _how long_ had they been kissing? When did they even start kissing? Light was still unsure. His mind was a little blank, and things were blurred.

L was obviously planning to show Light more things, as L rolled over, Light now beneath him. He could feel his hands moving again, and things were moving fast, and Light didn't know what was happening, and things were swirling in his mind, and he remembered his distance from L, how far away they were from each other in reality, and he started, slowly, to wake up, to recognise what was going on, and he knew he had to stop...

... L.

... L needed to stop.

... If he didn't, things would happen, and Light would lose himself completely.

L puckered again, his lips dancing on Light's, and Light took the opportunity to alert the older boy.

"... L..."

But that was enough breathing time for L, and he dived back again, and Light was shocked. Upon L's attack, he moaned into L's mouth, without meaning to. L was, all of a sudden, encouraged. He became more violent, and the fifteen year old leaned on an arm he placed on the area of floor behind Light's head. His legs were intercrossed, or inbetween, whichever you'd rather call it, Light's own. Light, despite knowing he had to stop, subconsciously wrapped his arms over L's shoulders, holding on for safety. The kiss was so foreign and deep, and Light was gasping between puckers, groaning. He was making such awful sounds, sounds he'd never make by his own will, and it all needed to stop, _right now._

He gripped onto L's hair, and pulled the older boy's head back off of his own, separating them. He somehow managed to pull himself out, still gasping for breath, and leaned against his bedpost, strangely winded.

He turned to look at a slightly surprised L.

L licked his own lips innocently, and looked at Light with a strange emotion dancing in his eyes. Light didn't like it.

"W... what was that...?"

L looked annoyed, as if Light had just asked him the directions to his own house.

"What, do you not do that here in Japan?"

"W-what? We... yeah, we do that, but... but..."

"But _what_?"

What was with that tone? Was Light testing his patience or something?

"But... but you, with... me...!"

L gave an uncaring sigh. "If you're that bothered by it, then don't do it again."

Light gaped at L. "_You_ were the one who kissed _me_!"

"Of course, You-Need-Someone-Else-To-Disinfect-It-san."

Light turned red.

"Y-you... as the _sempai_ here, you shouldn't take advantage of me like that!"

"You shouldn't provoke me like that."

"I... I was _trying to help_!"

For the third time whilst staying here, L looked genuinely pissed.

"_Then get a goddamn plaster instead of using your tongue!"_

Light paused, and then looked actually hurt.

"... I... I honestly panicked..."

L's expression didn't change.

"It's because... it's because of you, L-kun!"

"_You_ were the one who assaulted me for no apparent reason."

"Because _you lied!"_

L raised not one, but both of his eyebrows. Light looked at the floor, irritated that he'd let himself make such an outburst.

"... What did I apparently lie about?"

L obviously didn't even have enough recollection of even telling Light anything worth lying about. Though, no matter how impossible it was, for a moment he did think that maybe Light was on to his less explainable behaviour...

"When you first... came here..."

L kept a calm composure, but was becoming testy inside. _What exactly has he found the truth out about...?_

"When you first came here, you said that you weren't..." - he blushed as he prepared himself to say it, since it sounded extremely awkward in his head - "... that you weren't _interested_ in me."

L immediately relaxed. _How stupid of me to think he'd actually noticed anything. Then again, his personal matters would come before that even if he did notice anyway..._

L smiled inwardly. He tended to get bored quite easily, as many a reader can tell. And he, to name one of his more twisted ways of getting his kicks, liked to mess with certain people's heads.

He paused. "I'm not." He replied in his casual monotone.

Light, though unsure whether to take the fifteen year-old seriously, felt a grand amount of disappointment well up in him.

_Dammit, I won't let him think he got one over me!_

Light took a deep breath to maintain his composure. "Either you have a weird way of showing loathing..." He, like L, smiled inwardly at his own little plan. "... Or _you're lying_."

L gave a small _hnh! _noise, which was probably his version of a defying chuckle.

"Such strange logic. I have no idea where you'd conjure up such an idea, _Light-kun_."

To his own dismay, a snippet of excitement bounced up in his chest, drowning out the pounding down-heartedness, as Light listened to L put an emphasis on his name. He obviously had yet to realise that it meant L was showing contempt for him.

"Well," Light said, pretending to sigh in disappointment, "I'll take your word for it, _L-kun_."

Once again, this translated incorrectly in someone's head along the line, and L, at hearing the emphasis on _his _name, believed that _Light _was now showing contempt towards _him_.

"Let's hope you do." L replied, unsatisfied.

XXX

Light decided to get away from L for a couple of minutes, or maybe hours, or maybe just a few days in order to maintain a calm facade. He met his mother on the stairs.

"Light, you should take a shower before your father comes home tomorrow. He'll want one as soon as he gets back, and I doubt he'll like the idea of sharing it with both you _and_ L."

At the thought of sharing the shower with his father and L, Light thought he was sick a little.

"So what, I have to share with him _again_? Listen, woman, _when exactly are_ you planning to get the boiler fixed?"

"Don't you 'woman' me again, or I'll make you share it with him even after everything's fixed. And anyway, it's better than having to share with me or Sayu, isn't it?"

At the idea of sharing a shower with either one of them, Light shivered. _Damn, women creep me out sometimes,_ he thought.

But then again, after what had happened just now, did he want to share with even _just_ L?

"Um... L can have a shower on his own, I don't mind sharing with Dad*."

"Nonsense! _I'm _sharing with your father tomorrow, I thank you. Share with L, you're both boys. We can't afford to waste water on one person at a time, Light! You _know_ that!"

Light scowled at his mother's back as she walked away, and felt anger itch at his throat. Why? Because he was _frigging angry_, that's why. He was angry at his mother for being insensitive. He was angry at L for being a jerk. But he was mostly angry at himself for being an idiot for absolutely no reason whatsoever. His current situation was all of his fault, and the worst of it was he didn't even bring himself to do it all for a cause, it was all pointless. His own emotions were fucking with him!

And now, he had to tell L that after the whole fiasco they had went through less than five minutes ago, they had to now be naked together in a small enclosed space until they were both reasonably clean. God, that was like letting grass that needed to be cut grow, wasn't it? To do something in order to get clean, just to get dirty. Or dirtier. For Christ's sake, he didn't even want to _look _at L right now. It was too awkward, too _damn bloody awkward, _and he bit his lip as he realised that, once again, he was expecting something to happen.

"Nothing happened the last time I thought something would, so why would anything happen this time around?" He asked himself aloud, in an almost desperate tone.

Perhaps he was desperate for a comforting answer.

He walked towards his bedroom door once again, and hesitated to knock. He was unsure of what to say. What was he supposed to say? _Sorry for kissing you earlier, but guess what we have to do now? _Or _I didn't mean to make out with you earlier, but do you mind having a shower with me?_ Light couldn't remember the last time he'd wanted to punch something so much. He believed if even Sayu had come along at that very minute, he'd probably end up slapping her so hard she'd go flying across the landing. He scolded himself as he gave a cruel chuckle at the thought, but told himself to keep his mind on the current situation. It was as if his stomach had suddenly done a backwards dive, and he started to feel a bit ill.

He slowly tapped against the wood of the door. He carefully counted each time his knuckle softly hit the hard surface.

Three times. He knocked three times.

The door gave a sort of squeak as it slowly opened, and L stood at the frame, wearing a look that, for some unexplainable reason, said _I knew you'd come crawling back_.

_Ugh, he's acting as if it's _his _room I'm calling him from._

Light didn't look L in the eye. "We need to have a shower in fifteen minutes."

"... Is that it?"

"Yes, but- -"

L made to close the door on Light, but Light grabbed it at last second and pulled it back. _What?_ _What right does L have to be angry with me?_

"Don't slam my own bedroom door on my like I'm some kind of travelling salesman!" Light spat, charging into the room. He pushed L viciously as he went past, and L grabbed his wrist , yanking him back in retaliation.

"What the hell, Light?"

"It's _you! _Quit pretending _you're the victim!"_

"_You're _the one who- -"

"No, _shut up!" _Light slappedL's wrist away. "Shut up, because _you know_ it's your fault I did... _all that..._ and you're trying to blame it on me because you think you'll get off scot-free!"

Light clenched his fists and slammed them against L's chest, his voice now raised and full of bale. "_Goddammit_, L! You're just so fucking arrogant and anti-social! At least when you first came here you didn't treat me like an _idiot_!"

"How do you now that?" L replied, in a quieter tone. He kept an unchanged composure. "I might have disrespected you all this time, and you'd still have no idea."

"_Stop talking_!" Light shouted at the top of his voice. "I hate you so much, and I just want you to stop acting like you like me or something! This is your problem! You did that to me- -"

" – which was not completely my fault-"

" – and then you go on to act like you couldn't give a piss! If you don't care, if you're not interested, _then bloody well act like it!" _

L said nothing. He just... laughed.

"Then _what_ do you want to hear, _Light-kun?" _ despite the implied tone, his voice was full of haphazard irritation.

Light stopped in his tracks. What _did_ he want from L?

"... Well... maybe... a little bit of recognition wouldn't go unnoticed... or, well maybe a least apologise after you mislead me like that..."

L's eyebrows shot up, a little bit more noticeably than usual. "You mean I actually _mislead_ you? As in I made you think something that wasn't true?"

"Well, yes."

"What was it, may I ask?"

Light gaped a little at L's question. Blushing a little, he said, "You call me stupid while you can't figure even that out?"

"Well," L gave a shrug, "I have an idea, but I'd rather you clarify what exactly it is you began to believe which you now believe is in fact not true."

Light grimaced. "You're just trying to get me to say it."

"Perhaps, but say it nevertheless."

"I don't want to."

"Stop wasting time."

Light clicked his tongue in disapproval and gave a growl. "_Tch_," He growled, "fine."

He took a deep breath, as if preparing to swim.

"You... made me think that..."

Light looked away, but L quickly jumped back into Light's line of vision, making him face him again.

"Yes?"

"That you lied... when you said you weren't... interested. In me."

"... Is that so?"

"Y-yeah, what I thought was that you might have been lying when you said you weren't interested... so..."

"What if I was putting up an act in which I could lie about being interested in you, behind the facade of not being interested in you?"

"... What?"

"I'm saying what if I'm lying about lying about not being interested in you?"

"That made even less sense then what you said before."

"You need to keep up. Listen - -"

"No, I get the gist of what you're saying, I just think your sentences make no sense."

"Okay, listen. I could be lying -"

"Uh huh."

"- About lying-"

"Yeah?"

"- about not being interested in you."

"Oh, okay, I get it. Wait, what...?"

L smiled. "But then again, if that's the situation, there's a possibility of me lying about lying about lying about not being interested in you."

"But if that's your motives or whatever, then why not just go straight back to the beginning and just say you lied to me?"

"Because that's boring."

"I guess..."

There was an awkward silence.

"... Did you lie?"

"..."

"Is that silence an obvious silence kept in order for the other party to know the truth without actually having an answer, or a silence in which you think I'm so stupid I will have to guess?"

"..."

"... Fine."

XXX

The water was hotter than usual, but neither of the boys seemed to notice. Their thoughts were almost blank, just skirting the borders of their minds.

_God, L is such a prick._

_**Dear Lord, Light can be stupid sometimes.**_

_He's always pretending I'm not here, save for when he's harassing me like that. What's with that?_

_**He's so oblivious to why I act like I do, it's painful.**_

_Is it because he's got a superiority complex? Or is he just constantly focused on other things?_

_**Is it because he's scared to think like that? It's explainable why, but surely he's more curious than that?**_

_It's not fair that he gets to think about other stuff while all I can think about is him, even though I don't even like him._

_**It's not fair on me, having to wait for the penny to drop like this. Until new info on the case is found, I doubt I'll be able to preoccupy myself, and these all too familiar circumstances are taking the usual toll on me. **_

_Why is it that he acts so arrogant towards me a majority of the time, only to turn so... well, I don't know the word... a minority of the time?_

_**Why is it he acted so up himself a few days ago, only to turn so coy and needy when I stuck my tongue down his throat? **_

_He reminds me of Mikami when he acts all full of himself._

_**He reminds me of Near when he acts out of turn.**_

L glanced at Light's body, which was facing the opposite wall. He looked at the visible parts of Light's body, the way his back arched when he ruffled his own hair in order to get it wet, the way his legs tensed and pulled up together in some sort of attempt to cover himself. It was almost cute. The way Light would shove his nose into things when it didn't concern him, only to pretend he wasn't involved when things got too hot, was irritating, but the way he reacted when he was shown affection by L, of all people, was just... interesting, for want of a better word.

Light thought of how L had tasted, the slightly familiar flavour of metal and carbonated sugar, as if the taste of the Tin Man and Pepsi had a baby and it lived in the mouth of a fifteen year-old sexual deviant, or, for a simpler example, drinking some Pepsi and then eating the can. His hair was soft, and you would think it was quite thick and wild, but it was actually quite fine and felt warm. _It had felt good,_ Light admitted. But it was a huge turn-off when said sensation was caused by an idiot who liked to screw with people's emotions.

_I wish..._

_**... He wasn't like that.**_

_Because then..._

_**... I wouldn't be so annoyed...**_

_... With both him..._

_**... And myself right now.**_

_I wouldn't be thinking about him..._

_**... And I wouldn't have this nagging desire to stare at him.**_

_And it just makes it harder because of his nature._

_**And it just makes it harder because his nature and Near's are too alike.**_

_I just don't want to be fucked around with._

_**I just don't want a repeat of what happened in the past.**_

_If I didn't believe that would happen, and if I was actually not afraid of what would happen..._

_**... I wouldn't hesitate.**_

XXX

_(The parts that are in Japanese are there because they are being spoken in Japanese. Everything that isn't is English.)_

_Beep beep. Beep beep._

In the darkness, a crimson head rose from beneath the bed covers, and gave a growl as it groped around for it's cell phone. The fingers of its hand brushed against the vibrating object (LOL), and it disappeared back in the bed covers.

"Unh... _Moshi moshi_?"

"Matt? _L des_."

"Oh, L. I thought you might be some drunk Japanese guy, phoning at this time of night."

"Obviously."

"... Why _are_ you calling now, may I ask?"

"Why do you think?"

"You're not planning to ask for more info _again_, are you?"

"_Watashi no keikaku ni."_

"Ugh. No. I only have as much as you."

"Nothing new with B's location? No contact with Near?"

"Former, I'm afraid not. However, Mello managed to speak to Near."

"What did he say?"

"..."

"... Matt?"

"... Um..."

"Please tell me, why is it every time we talk, you always have something you don't want to tell me?"

"It's kinda been like that ever since we first met."

"Ahh yes, I remember. You stared at me for two straight minutes, stuttering, when I asked you your age."

"It's because I thought if you knew I was younger than you, you'd think I was not worth your time."

"Anyway, about Near?"

"Well... apparently, he said..."

Matt paused, as if taking a deep breath.

"He said he didn't want anything to do with the investigation anymore, that he'd found something more constructive to do with his time, and that he was taking advantage of an opportunity to get away from everyone in the Family." Matt paused again.

"Especially you." He added. L tried to think of something to say.

"I... can't blame him."

"Well, I can. That self-absorbed idiot, I swear he has something against you. It's strange... when we were younger, I remember him telling me that you were what he wanted to be when he grew up. I remember it because it was so out of character."

"He said that? I'm surprised. With his background, you wouldn't expect him to come out with a 'I want to be a kitty when I grow up' story."

"You... you wouldn't happen to know what is up with him, would you? And what about B... do you know if this is somehow connected?"

"My head tells me no, but my intuition tells me otherwise. It seems everyone is eager to escape the Family nowadays."

"Can you blame them? After what we all went through, even with our own issues?"

"Matt..."

"No, I've said this before, I'll say it again. I don't give a shit what those old men have done for us. Their crimes outweigh their charity. Even with you. _Especially_ with you. Their little back up plan for what happens when we one day screw up is sickening. And when you and A found it out, it makes me feel ill to remember what they put you two through. What they did to A... it's unforgivable. For Christ's sake, you still have the scars! Not to mention how twisted our mentalities have become due to both past, present _and future treatment_!" "Please, just stop it..." "And it's just insult to injury when they abuse our intelligence like this! I guess we're lucky we get sent away from them. If only it would happen for good!"

There was a silence as the two boys attempted to regain themselves, with Matt catching his breath and L trying his best to remain calm and composed.

"Matt..."

"... Yes...?"

"Tell me what your family is like."

Matt almost choked on oxygen, or air, or nothing, depending on how scientific you are.

"Why do you want to know that?"

"I just thought... you might want to talk about something relatively normal for a change. I mean, I figured it must be difficult for you, seeing as you are the only one who hasn't gone off the rails as me, Mello and Near have."

Matt almost smiled. "I wouldn't say you're there yet, L."

"It's nice that you think that."

Matt gathered himself, preparing to talk about a subject he'd never really talked about before.

"They're... nice. The food is good, and they don't force me to do anything. The bedroom I'm staying in is clean, and it's quiet at night. They have a baby daughter, called Mamori, and she is very... I don't want to say polite, but she doesn't cry without a reason, and she is fun to play with. Yoka-san, the mother, says I'm like the brother Mamori will never have. Believe it or not, I feel somewhat like an average person."

"... It sounds good."

"What about your family?"

"... They are good people. Their son is annoying, but he has a certain charm to him."

"..."

"..."

"I hope you... aren't going to... again..."

"No. Not again."

The silence was headache inducing.

"Believe me, Matt. Never again."

"If he feels the same way?"

"No."

"... I hope you stick to that resolve."

"Yeah. It seems every time the conversation comes to me, it takes a grim turn, doesn't it?"

"That is not entirely your fault."

"But it is mostly."

"We all have weaknesses."

"But not all of us are weak enough to give into them. Twice."

"It's not your fault you are that way. In the Family, we are all slightly twisted, some consciously, some subconsciously. It's just because we were raised to be that way."

"The phrase 'fighting fire with fire' never sounded so terrible until they said it."

"... It must hurt to be around him. This person."

"It hurts to think of what I'll do to him."

"I don't want my _own_ nature to surface."

"I can't shake the feeling that all of our true natures will."

"That's because you _know_ they will. We will all hurt others, in the end."

"Or ourselves."

XXX

MYSTERY + HOMOSEXUALITY + A LITTLE ANGST + CLIFFHANGER = A STORY THAT SOUNDS LIKE SASUKE UCHIHA WROTE IT IN AN OVERLY COMMON EMO MOMENT.

I hate myself for this ending... and I have waaaaaay too much dialogue in here. Everybody is miserable, everybody is angry. The line where L says _"Watashi no keikaku ni.", _I think translates literally into something like 'plan of mine' (or my of plan _ni_, to be more specific) , or something, which I had to use since I don't know how to say 'I plan to'. Wow, now I wish I hadn't included it.

BECAUSE THIS CHAPTER IS AWFUL, YOU MAY FLAME ME. HOWEVER, REVIEWS WOULD MAKE ME FEEL MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT IT AND WOULD BE MORE APPRECIATED, NOT TO MENTION I WILL BE TWICE AS LIKELY TO REPLY. God I am such a review whore ಠ_ಠ


	8. Of Many Realisations

WHY WAS I DISHING THESE OUT SO MUCH BUT NAO I HAVE TAKEN TOO LONG I DUNNO MAYBE I NEEDS A LIEF ಠ_ಠ

That face means I am deeply considering my life. Or lief. Speaking of which, I recently got new glasses. It's like I have zoom-in vision or something :D

I continued the song. It's still so pretty XD I feel like I'm bigging up the English language here, but I couldn't think of anything else to highlight how L would sound good, so... yeah...

OH OH OH IF ANY KUROSHITSUJI FANS ARE READING EPISODE 1 OF THE NEW SEASON IS OUT ON ANIME FREAK :D

XXX

_At what we would be able, never again to touch,  
We take each other's hands, like children,  
The happiness on our lips, a little naive,  
And we walk together, from a premeditated step,  
Even if our heads yell at us to stop.  
He loves me still, and you, you love me a little stronger,  
But he loves me still, and me, I love you more._

_**Comme des enfants by COEUR DE PIRATE (cont.)**_

XXX

Light didn't move, only listening to the whispers of L on his cell phone.

"_... that all of our true natures will_."

Light had counted the breaths between each addition to the conversation which L seemed so deeply divulged in. Ugh, Light felt awful. He felt ill. He wanted, desperately, to just fall asleep already, or to get far away, maybe sleep downstairs. But it was dark, and he couldn't sleep. It was L. A mix of both tension and mistrust was poisoning Light, making him feel uncomfortable. He daren't move, dare not to breathe. He had dread sleeping in his gut, and was unsettled as ever.

"_... Or ourselves_."

He had to admit, L's voice was quite soothing.

But it clashed with Light's tormenting curiosity over which exactly it was L was talking to. He knew quite a bit of English, but wasn't fluent in any way or form, and couldn't keep up with the steadily flowing conversation, despite L's soft tone. He closed his eyes, listening to the smooth way the words seemed to roll off of L's tongue. He'd never understood why girls were so mesmerised by _gajin _men, but if one of the excuses was because of how they sounded when they conversed, then he couldn't blame those girls. If only he could master the accent. Hell, if only he could actually remember the more important words (He seriously doubted only knowing words like '_aerosol_', '_bread_', and '_panties_', along with a few swear words, would get him far in this world. Unless he somehow found himself getting angry at someone whilst buying women's underwear in a Tesco supermarket somewhere along the line).

"_... So, I need to go? All of us? ...Of course, I figured."_

_But wow, that voice._

Light bit his lip. He was finally falling asleep. But... he kind of wanted to stay up longer, if only to analyze L's conversation. However, Dreamland was not as charitable tonight, and he soon slipped into slumber.

XXX

"_Unh..."_

_Fingers crept up Light's thigh, groping the flesh. He was completely flustered, and a little embarrassed, but the hand up his shirt teased him, and his mind was so blank he was hardly registering. The fingers that had sat on his thigh moved to his crotch, and caressed his groin._

"_O...oh..."_

_Light felt that he didn't know who was doing this, but kind of... did know at the same time. Too bad it was his subconscious part was that bit that knew. _

_His toes twisted in the duvet, and he groaned as said hand and fingers vanished down Light's trousers, fingertips brushing against the flank of his underwear. Light seemed to lean forward as a weight pushed against his back and ass, and his mind seemed to fill with a name._

"_R... Ryu..."_

_He gasped as the hand added more pressure to the place it massaged. The friction that it caused pushed into something inside him, and he felt himself wanting._

"_Ah...! Ryuzaki..." _

XXX

The following morning was twice as awkward as the night before. Perhaps it was the silence. Perhaps it was the leftover anger from their argument.

_Or maybe it's because I FUCKING DREAMT OF BEING GAY LAST NIGHT._

At least, he had a feeling that the other person in the dream was a guy. _A guy._ Either that, or an extremely masculine girl. No, wait, it couldn't be a girl. Girls didn't act like that, at least, not any of the girls he knew.

_AND RYUZAKI IS DEFINETELY NOT A GIRL'S NAME. _

He gulped as he remembered the name. Did he know anyone by that name? He knew many boys. There was Saitou, Akihiro, Suga, Haruki. No, he didn't recall knowing anyone called by that name. The name 'Ryuzaki' obviously belonged to a stranger. Or, more confusingly, perhaps a fantasy. _Urgh, I hope not. _

That morning, the two of them walked downstairs as they had many mornings before, and sat down at the table. They didn't speak, as was expected. Light had the feeling that he wanted to say something, and that L had something on the tip of his tongue too, but neither of them opened their mouths to speak.

Wait. Tongue. Mouths.

_Ack, what the hell? _

It was as if everything that had happened the day before was steadily imprinted into his mind, even more so than the fight. He glanced unsteadily at L. The other boy was in his usual position, looking uncomfortable as he ate the dry cereal, his legs curled up against his chest all the while. Light sized him up, and to him, L seemed as uninterested as ever, with a look that just _s_aid _I don't give half a fuck what happens to me now._

"Um... L-kun?"

He didn't reply. Surely he wasn't sulking? If anyone was sulking, it should have been Light. Dammit, he should be depressed, but he wasn't! L had no right to be upset!

"... Are you upset over last night?"

"Aren't you?"

Light bit his lip. Yes, yes he was upset. But he'd gotten over it. Hell, it wasn't that L had kissed him that had pissed him off, he hadn't even been thinking about that when he got angry, it was that L acted as if it had nothing to do with it afterwards. L acted as if he had been goaded, or forced into it. Light had honestly tried to help him, he'd just... panicked. He could've gotten a plaster (or band-aid, in America) or even a tissue to stop the bleeding, but instead, he'd thought of one of the most useless facts he had in his head – that licking other peoples' wounds can disinfect them and stop them from getting infected. But... but...

Light rubbed his bottom lip. Why had he reacted like that to a kiss? It was as if... he'd actually enjoyed it.

Last night, he had listened to L talk, and had thought of him as he fell asleep. Before that, he'd gotten extremely angry, but he'd wanted to look at L. When they were in the shower. That wasn't right.

_I don't want him. He's a guy. I. Don't. Want him._

"... Why are you, of all people, upset?"

L hesitated. He sideways glanced at Light in an unknown manner, and Light knew that this was probably going to be a pretty ridiculous answer.

"I myself am not quite sure, but," L put his thumb to his mouth and chewed it a bit, touching warily at the steadily healing cut on his lip, "I'm sure it's either of two things. No wait, make that three. Either I'm getting fed up with you, – "

_Highly probable._

" – or I'm unsatisfied, or –"

_Also slightly probable._

"- I'm actually upset that I hurt your feelings, and am unsure of how to deal with it."

_... Okay. That was... does that even have a probability? _

Light frowned. He himself was definitely unsure of how to react.

"So, what... you're concerned?"

"Perhaps. I am going on this camping trip thing of your school's, so it would be somewhat troublesome if the only , for want of a better word, _friend_ I have wasn't speaking to me."

Light's inner monologue squealed a bit, excitedly voicing the thought, _He called me his friend?_ only to be punched by Light's self-control a few nanoseconds later, whilst it said, _We won't be having any of that now, move along, move along_(for some unexplainable reason, Light's self control spoke like a 1950s British policeman).

"... I'm not sure what to ask first. For one, you're actually coming to Kanogawa?"

"Yes, I thought I'd see why exactly people enjoy camping so much as a pastime."

"And secondly..."

"Light-kun, what on Earth are you still doing here?" Sachiko popped her head around the door, with a slightly aggravated look adorning her features. "Hurry up! You're going to be late!"

Light scowled at his mother at being interrupted, but L acknowledged her and stood up.

"Yagami-san is right, Light-kun. Let us adjourn this little meeting, shall we?"

"But- -"

"You may ask me later."

"But I- - "

Light gave L the same scowl he given his mother. L turned back to see if Sachiko was still there, and upon realising she was nowhere in sight, L bent forward until his face was mere centimetres from Light's own. He held onto Light's chin, and spoke slowly. Light flinched slightly with the impact of L's warm breath against his face, and blinked a few times, as if expecting something.

"_You may ask me later_."

At that, L stood up straight again and walked out.

Light grasped at his own hair. Gritting his teeth, he slapped himself. He was blushing again.

XXX

The school day seemed uneventful. To Light, that is. A lot happened that day. For example, Mello went to throw glue at Suga, but he missed and it all glooped into Takada's hair, which she didn't notice for ten whole minutes. Another example would be that poor Matsuda had fallen down the side of a pile of gym mats, and nobody seemed to care until Light and Misa managed to pull him out (despite Misa dropping him twice because Light touched her hand accidently). For one last example, there was the fight that everyone seemed to be talking about, where Ryuji and Haruki were beating the shit out of each other, only for them to both get a beating when they slammed into an uninvolved L who was attempting to eat a strawberry mousse. But Light didn't seem to deem any of it as important, and it was as if nothing was truly absorbed into his memory. For him, it was just another day where Mello pissed someone off, Matsuda paid the price for said pissing off, and someone pissed L off. It was a usual day where everyone was hormonal and angry. And, in Light's case, confused. But most teenagers are that too, most of the time.

Surprising, out of all the people who noticed how... _off _Light was (meaning the majority of the girls in class who stared at him, AKA the preteen girls who get a kick out of being constantly ignored/ who love it when boys treat them like crap) Matsuda was the only one who spoke up.

He walked steadily over to the other boy, who he found at one of the furthest edges of the playground, out of sight, and making sure there was nobody else around to bully him away from Light, he clumsily sat down next to him, who smiled upon seeing Matsuda. Light was one of the only people who believed that Matsuda had nothing worth insulting him for, meaning that Matsuda relied on Light for defence. It was good teamwork, because Matsuda was, despite his honest and awkward nature, he was a good judge of character (most of the time) and was good at eavesdropping (also most of the time).

"H-hey... Light-kun..."

"Hi."

"Um... er.. ah, the, um... the girls, they asked me to ask Suga to ask you what was wrong, b-but I didn't want to 'cause he would just snort at me."

"Suga is a bit of a prick."

"S-so I thought that I w-would ask instead, if you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind."

"..."

"..."

"... Uh, yeah, so, what's wrong?"

"Nothing much. Just some... _really crazy stuff_ has happened the past few days."

"R-really?" _Wow, is he actually going to talk to me about his problems?_

"Yeah. Nothing you should worry about though, Matsuda-kun."

"Um... If... if you want to talk about it, th-then I'm all ears."

"..."

"..."

"... Well..."

_He _is_ going to talk to me about his problems!_

"Y-yes?"

Light brow creased, and he looked instantly worried.

"Have you ever liked someone, but you can't admit it because you hate them at the same time, because they act like a dick towards you, and you know you shouldn't like them in the first place because you're afraid no one will accept it?"

Matsuda blinked a couple of times. "I thought a-all guys have been like that at some t-time or the other. I have, b-but it was kind of... um... what's that word when it doesn't happen or, like, um... or when it's one sided?"

"Unrequited?"

"Y-yeah, that's it! It was unresighted!"

"Unrequited."

"Yeah, th-that. Anyway, she was Ch-Chinese. My d-dad didn't like it, s-so I didn't d-do anything."

Light shook his head. "I'm sorry to hear that. Sorry, but I really dislike people like your dad."

"So d-do I!" Matsuda exclaimed, "It i-isn't right th-that people f-force th-their own b-beliefs on o-others b-because th-they want to c-create a world f-full of th-the same people! Me and my d-dad didn't talk f-for ages after th-that cause I c-called him a C-Communistic N-Nazi!"

"Matsuda-kun, Nazis hated Communists. That isn't possible."

Matsuda blinked a few times again. "They d-didn't? Huh. Uh, um..."

Matsuda smiled at Light in a way he thought would be comforting.

"S-so... who is it? I-if you d-don't mind me a-asking."

Light looked away. _I can't tell him. I can't tell anybody. If someone knows, then everything will fall apart!_

"... I... I'm not sure if I can tell you."

Matsuda beamed. "It's okay, L-Light-kun! L-Light-kun is Light-k-kun no matter who he likes, even if they are a horse!... No, a-actually, I think th-that's the only th-thing I won't a-accept."

Light chuckled slightly. He stared at the pathway on the other side of the fence, and remembered the time L had escaped from school. Ever since that day, he'd taken to disappearing from time to time. What annoyed Light about it was because he noticed, and cared a bit. He was also aggravated – staring out at the wall against the pathway, he instantly reminisced (slightly against his own will) about how L had first...

He shook his head. _I think too much._ _Aw, to hell with it... it's not like anyone would believe him anyway..._

"... Fine."

"H-huh? You're going to t-tell me?"

"Yeah, why not. Just please, for the love of God, don't tell anyone. Don't even mention that I told you. Give no clues. Protect this information with your life."

"I p-promise I will not b-breathe a word t-to anyone!"

"Good... you see... you'll understand when I tell you why no-one will accept it- -"

"THERE HE IS!"

Looking up, Light saw Suga, flanked by Saitou and two other boys who Light hadn't bothered to remember the names of. Upon seeing them, Matsuda's eyes instantly widened, and turned to Light.

"SorryLight-kuntellmelatergottago!"

Matsuda leaped up and sprinted down the side of the playground, quickly followed by the gang of three or four boys. Light sighed, ignoring them, and traced the outline of his lips. Closing his eyes, he bit his bottom lip as it all seemed to replay in his mind, the extremely fast evolution of their kissing, as it were, despite L 'not showing an interest in him'. The first time, it had just been an almost childish peck of a kiss, but the second was... it was... well, it had felt grown up. There had been contact with limbs that weren't nessessarily supposed to come into contact with each other.

He could almost remember L's taste. And the smell of burnt sugar and soap. L.

He clutched at his own arms, hugging himself. _I am officially_, he thought, _going insane_.

XXX

Matt hadn't felt himself the following day.

He massaged his temples, and stared at the computer screen as if it had just asked him is this the way to Amarillo. The email almost seemed to _grimace_ at him.

_**From: Grandfather**_

_Hello again Matt, it's been a long time since we've talked, but I have a request._

Matt bit his lip. He felt a little more disgusted than usual.

_As you well know, we at The Family have been concerned about a few of our sons and daughters, as they have expressed disatisfaction with The Family. Of course, these expressions have been taken care of within due time..._

Meaning those 'expressions', along with their owners, are most probably missing, presumed dead right now.

_... however there is always the chance of the odd smart one making a little leak in our family's boat._

Matt gulped. He knew who they were talking about.

_We believe that a loyal son like you could carry out the task we have for you with somewhat delicate precision, and as the other children trust you, we couldn't imagine anyone more fitting. We have three tasks for you:-_

_1. Keep an eye on L Lawliet. We suspect he is going to break soon. We have taken precautions, but apparently his nature has recently become somewhat unpredictable, so we are in need of a warning._

_2. Find Nate River and Beyond Birthday. Once you find them, give them what needs to be given. We shall supply you with their gifts._

_3. Convince Mello to return. Information about this is being witheld, but for obvious reasons._

Upon reading this, Matt's eyes widened. Surely they weren't planning to... with Mello...?

Matt shook his head. He wouldn't let that happen. _This has officially convinced me something is very, very wrong... even more so than usual..._

XXX

"_BURAKKU ROKKU SHUUTAA, doko e itta noooooooooooooo?"_

"Light-kun."

"What?"

"Please get Amane-san to kindly shut the hell up."

"Why, you don't like her singing?"

"Light-kun, if I was a decrepit old dog living at an opera house with hearing condition, I'd still consider this way low below unsatisfactory singing."

"What, you aren't?"

"That was so funny in an extremely cliche and overused way, I forgot to laugh."

"_Ato dore dake nakeba ii no darou!"_

"I'll admit she brings shame to the Vocaloid brand, but it'll all be over soon."

"Light-kun, I thought you were Japanese?"

"I am."

"Oh, I thought you weren't, since most Japanese are forced to listen to the works of Hatsune Miku on a daily basis, and if you yourself were, you would know that the song she is singing goes on for a gruelling four minutes and fifty-two seconds and _she only just started singing!" _

"... How do you even remember that?"

L didn't reply. _Oh well_, Light thought. _You'll just have to suffer._

It was L's own fault, anyway. Here they sat, in the main hall, somehow enduring Misa's weekly singing lesson (which she had so kindly dragged Light to), and Light was enjoying every complaint that came out of L's mouth. L was the one who had come over through the row of seats (literally. He climbed over the seats to get to him, instead of walking towards the row like a normal person. Light didn't admit it, but he was secretly impressed with how L had somehow not fallen over) and had sat down next to the fourteen year old, rudely not bothering to ask for permission.

And anyway, this would serve as one of many small punishments Light would secretly inflict on L because of the... _events_ that had occured over the last week.

Light sized up L. "You've been unusally emotional recently."

"A lot of family matters have come up recently."

"..."

"..."

"... Need to talk about it?"

"... I think... it's better if you didn't know."

"Oh... okay..."

_Say something comforting._

"... It would, you know, mean a lot to me..."

_WAIT, too comforting._

"I-I mean, I would like it if, in the case that there was something wrong, you- - "

" - - Would like it if I told you. I appreciate it, Light-kun, but..."

Light noticed L turn to look at him, and was shocked to see a small smile upon L's lips, though their eyes did not meet. He wasn't the only one- Misa glanced at Light, hoping to see how _amazed_ he was with her vocal talent, only to see his attention was completely and utterly focused on L.

"... you, of all people, do not need to be burdened with my troubles."

Light's expression softened. "L-kun..."

"LIGHT-KUUUUUUN!"

Light jumped slightly at his own name, and immediately looked to Misa. She had a look on her face like a over-spoilt brat, and she crossed her arms, pouting.

"Light-kun, you were _supposed_ to be taking notes on which songs I sang better!"

She glanced at L, who currently held the same expression as can be found on the photo on the driving licence of apathy, and smirked.

"I guess you'll just have to listen while _I start all over again_!"

L grimaced. _You can't be serious_.

Misa turned to her terrified tutor, and slammed her foot on the floor. _"Black Rock Shooter, from the beginning!" _she screeched.

L shook his head. God knows he wasn't going to sit through that again.

"Actually, Amane-san..." L called out to her, interrupting the tutor mid-introduction, whilst holding a hand out as if to make a point, "... me and Light-kun are needed at his house. We'd _love_ to stay, _but_..." L put an unnessesary amount of emphasis on the words _love_ and _but, "..._duty calls."

Through gritted teeth, Misa asked, "What are you needed for?"

L, annoyed that he was now required to think on his feet, groped around in his pockets, only to pull out a pair of keys. He held them up, gripped by only his forefinger and thumb, almost defiently, and shook gave a pretty gangling sound, which echoed around the hall.

Misa frowned, unconvinced. "Keys?"

"These keys," L began, "are for Light-kun's mother's car."

"... And why are you carrying them around?"

"Yeah, why _are_ you carrying those around?" Light didn't actually recognise the keys, but asked nevertheless.

"Because, Light-kun, if you remember correctly," L gave the keys a little gangle again, "we are needed to clean out your mother's car in order to be allowed to Kanogawa, _remember_?"

Light was about to object, but the emotion in L's eyes that looked somewhat like desperateness seemed to plead for co-operation. As if he hadn't already bent to L's will enough the last few days, he slowly began to nod.

"... Oh... yeah..."

Not noticing Light's half-hearted attempt at looking disappointed, Misa placed her hands on her hips and glared at L, only to then look at Light and nod sadly. "Hmph. Fine, I guess you don't need to stay around anymore. See you tomorrow, Light-kun!" As if to add insult to injury, she gave a grade-A smile to follow her heart-rendering farewell (insert ¬_¬).

Her grin quickly got killed off as, as they walked out, L gently grabbed Light's arm and, looking through half-lidded eyes, reached forward and whispered something into his ear. Light gave an awkward look, which soon changed to a amused smile. Misa bit her tongue so hard she thought it would bleed, but somehow managed to say nothing.

XXX

They sat in Light's room, not uttering a word.

L gazed out of the window. It would soon be six in the evening. The train had taken it's sweet time, and it had started to rain as they had rode it home. Light had urged L to rush, however, he had acted as if he hadn't even noticed the change in weather. Light sighed as he remembered. L had held the same expression as a child that had just been woken up.

L had simply held out his hand, and as he felt raindrops hit his skin, his eyebrows raised. "Oh." He'd said. Nothing more, nothing less.

Light looked at L listully, and sighed again. Was L always like this on rainy days? Maybe. Light probably hadn't noticed it before. That look on his face had remained the same all the way home, with L strolling along as Light jumped from shelter to shelter. It made Light's chest ache, a bit. L hadn't said anything, and it didn't seem that he was planning to say anything. He just remained looking distant, a lonely face. Light wanted to say something, to comfort him in some way, but he had no idea how. He gripped at his shirt sleeve in frustration, and frowned at the bedsheets. What to say? What to do?

_In this already heated journey,  
My heavy thoughts are in a distant prayer  
Wondering if they will ever reach him  
Everything I see is but a blur for my mind  
Being transient, then disappearing..._

Light's brow creased even more_. This is not a time to be quoting songs._

_... But it's true, isn't it? I seem to do nothing but think about him. I.. don't want to say it, but..._

_... I... may be attracted to him... _

L stretched out, and Light wondered when L was planning to put some dry clothes on.

_... But that doesn't mean I full-out like him. Not that I wouldn't mind if he told me about his problems... _

"L-kun."

"Hm?"

"When are you going to change?"

"Into what?"

"Clean clothes. You're drenched."

"What?" L looked himself over. "I am?"

Light massaged his temples. "You haven't noticed?"

"I didn't consider it important, so I didn't notice. Isn't that what most people do?"

Light gave an amused smile. "That doesn't apply to the state of your clothes, which could possibly affect your health."

L rolled his eyes. "If you consider it important, then fine, I will undress."

"No, wait, you've got to- -"

Light was cut off as L shrugged off his blazer and pulled off his dress shirt in a lazy motion. Light looked away immediately, blushing slightly, and L started to grin at the fourteen year-old's tensity.

"Hey, Light."

Light didn't look at him. "Uh huh?"

"Look at me."

"Why?"

"Just look at me."

"But why?"

"Because I dislike it when a person acts coy, but they aren't cute in the least."

Light swivelled around at the insult, and as he opened his mouth to reply, his vision was bombarded by nothing but L. A thin frame, but not too skinny, with muscles outlining the skin, but not overboard like a bodybuilder, more built like a skateboarder or a freerunner. Athletic, but not steroid-ish. Pale skin, but not like Edward Cullen or anything (ugh, sparkly), but instead with it's own sort of glow, though almost translucent. His trousers hung at his hips, and if they were to fall a little bit more, just a tiny amount, his abdomen would be visible, revealing more of his flat stomach, and crotch lines...

Light flushed faster than L blinked.

Light bit his lip. _Don't be obvious, don't be obvious, don't be obvious..._

"... Wow..." It was no more than a whisper, and despite hearing it, L acted as if he didn't.

_ACK NO YOU MORON THAT WAS OBVIOUS. _

"... Light-kun, you're red."

"And you're white, your point is?"

"It suits you."

Light looked away. It was like Ken from Street Fighter was playing drums from inside his chest (meaning it slightly ached, and was making a lot of noise, but wasn't hurting). _What... what is this...?_

Light bit down harder on his lip. "Sh-shut up."

L leaned down to Light's eye level. "What's wrong?"

"You're what's wrong. Get out of my face."

L's eyes were heavy, or lidded, and his face, although blank, looked entertained. He placed a hand next to Light's lap, and as Light avoided his eye contact, L moved around to capture it again.

"Now you're really red." L murmured, getting closer to Light's face. "Is the whole 'you're drenched' business just an excuse to see me bare?"

"Don't flatter yourself. Be quiet."

"I'm not flattering myself, I'm being flattered by your reactions."

"You are the worst type of person."

Light felt L's nose brush against his own. "That's a lie." No more than a whisper.

_Damn, I wish he wouldn't do this!_

"I wish you would stop acting like this." Light muttered in reply.

"I have no reason to."

"Yes you do," Light scowled and looked away, "you don't even remotely like me. It's annoying when you act like this."

"Who said I didn't like you?"

_HOLY FUCK IT'S LIKE KEN IS NOW PLAYING THE DRUM SOLO IN 'IN THE AIR TONIGHT' BY PHIL COLLINS, MY CHEST IS SO LOUD._

"Y-you said so yourself."

L frowned. "I did?"

Light clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Yes, yes you did. Many times."

"Even if I don't, that doesn't mean I can't act like this."

Light breathed out, frustrated, and remained silent. L gently grabbed his chin, making him look at him. "Light, please don't look away."

"Then stop looking like that!"

Light pushed L away, shaking his head in contempt. He stood up sharply, and half-jumped into his bed covers, his head covered but the rest of his body still visible. L looked slightly confused for a moment, but it soon disappeared. He bent down, and placed a hand on Light's back in a way he thought was comforting.

"Sorry Light. I didn't mean to tease."

"But you did." Light could be heard, though muffled, from underneath the covers. "You always do. In some shape or form. It's like you really, _really hate me!"_

_You really do hate me, don't you?_

L hissed silently as he remembered. Nothing worse than being smacked in the face by an unwanted memory. He scratched his head. Hell, even if it all happens again, I won't make that mistake twice.

"I don't hate you. You're a tolerable person beneath that whole irritating, 'nice guy' appearence. It's just because I view you in that way that I tease. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset."

"Then why are you cowering underneath your bed covers?"

"BECAUSE A LOT OF CRAZY STUFF THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HAS HAPPENED TO ME AND NOW I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HATE IS OR WHAT LIKE IS ANYMORE!"

Light panted underneath the duvet from his out burst, while L looked taken aback. _I'm not crying, am I? No, I'm not._ _Good, good..._

"..."

"..."

"... Is that to do with me?"

Light paused, breathing heavily. He didn't want to say it. Did he have to say it? No, he didn't. Then why was he considering it?

"I... well, maybe..."

L sighed. No more beating around the bush.

"Are you scared that events prior to this moment, which may or may not have been of my fault, have made you actually think about your sexuality, and you are now actually suspecting that you are gay?"

"W-what? What's that... what's that got to do with anything...?"

"It's got everything to do with everything. If I am correct, which may I say, if I'm modest, is forty-seven percent possible, then it means that you are a more two-dimensional character, that you are feminine for a reason, and, more importantly," L looked at Light from his position sitting next to the bed, "you're attracted to me."

Light froze completely. He wouldn't say it. No, it was not something he would let himself say. I cannot stress enough how much, at that time, Light desired nothing more than to recover each word, each syllable, which he had just admitted. Because he knew that know he was expected to answer something he did not wish to, no, which he had swore he would never admit aloud, from the second he'd subconciously realised this attraction. He simply would not even utter it. He bit on his tongue, held his breath. He simply, as I said before, froze.

Light felt a hand fall on his back. It would've been comforting, if it weren't for his knowledge of the owner. The hand didn't move, it just sat, warming him, and Light heard L sigh, and a rustle from the duvet as he let his head fall back.

"I know you secretly want to hear this, though you may not be pleased with the information," L said quietly, "so I will say it. Take every word seriously. I'm going to tell you why I refuse, why I will never, ever tell you of my past, my relations, and of any suspicious details. I will also offer some words, as forms of comfort, but only if you are willing to absorb them, and accept that there are things you will never know. Perhaps because it is better than you knowing, and being forced into things you really don't want to do."

There was a small silence. Light gave a slightly bitter laugh from underneath the covers. "So what, you keep quiet to protect me? How cliche. Aren't you just the GI Joe of the modern world?"

L ignored him.

"You see, Light-kun, I was caught in an extremely intricate, almost complicated relationship, only three or four years ago. I... liked someone very much, and they liked me too, but the problem was, they only looked to me as an idol, a path to follow, an older brother, you know the story. They utterly and totally trusted me, looked to me for advice and help, and I because of that I believed that one day, everything would turn out alright for me. But when that, 'one day' came, and I let my feelings flow, I was misunderstood. As soon as I realised that, my frustrations, my anger, and more disgustingly, my desire burst from me, and I ended up doing something I wholehartedly regret, and that depresses me even now. I had forsaken his trust. It turned out that person was involved with a bad crowd, and after my little secret was revealed to them via the person I liked, they found me out, and did a lot of awful things which made sure I was ashamed of myself. I'm now still 'paying off a debt' I owe to them, and I am just waiting for the day when either I get slapped by a bout of luck or I find an opportunity to take advantage of a flaw. As a consequence of my 'sins', as it were, I know have tendencies I am far from proud of. Tendencies that I have inflicted on even you, that I have no real control over. I need someone to be able to take that all on. I do not need someone who will depend on me, because I have already come to an understanding that I have turned into a very dependant person myself."

Light said nothing. There was a heavy silence that seemed to be deafening in itself, almost 'offending the ears'. He breathed into the mattress, attempting to absorb all the newfound information. It was... vague. Very vague. Too vague for Light to make much of it. But at least he knew something new about L. And... and he was now a little bit curious. He wanted to know what L had done that was so 'bad'.

"... What was it?"

"Hm?"

"Your 'sin'. What did you do?"

L paused. He stared at his own toes, as they wriggled. He glanced at Light uneasily, and then his eyes turned back to his feet .

"I committed sexual assault."

XXX

AHAHAHAHAHAHA CLIFFHANGER. You must hate me so much :D

Wow, this chapter is what... 16 PAGES. When the hell did this happen? Huh. Well, don't expect any more overly long chapters. Unless you show me a lot of love.

Anyway, episode 1 of Kuroshitsuji season 2. You there. Review my story, and watch it. NOW. Because reviews make molestation :D


	9. Missing and Missed

^HELLO AGAIN^ Here I am, listening to French radio at 9:45pm – 12am! PERFECT FIC CONDITIONS ಠ_ಠ

Here we are, the chapter that made me laugh while writing it, even though it isn't funny. For your information dear reader, yes, I do know how ridiculous and unbelievably stupid the storyline is becoming. Hmm. Oh, and, uh... I don't know how to explain this, but uh...

All right, I'll be frank. Matt and Mello... aren't gay in this. Sorry. It's just, me and my friend **VingRhamesIsKickass **(VRIK, MY BRO, YOU ROCK) went over the plans for certain scenes between Light and L when I first started writing this, and we decided 'You know what? These scenes are so weird, we need to make stuff realistic.'. I know it might not be to your liking, and I'm probably going to lose some readers because of this, but not all guys in yaoi should be gay. It just makes it all a bit... stupid (I'M SORRY PLEASE DON'T HURT MEEEEEEEEE D':). If for anything, please hang around for the future formentioned scenes between L and Light. PLEEEEEEEEASE.

Who knows... If you ask me nicely, the plans might change a teensy bit... WITH HORMONES. AND ALCOHOL!

XXX

_**With closed eyes, what are you yearning for?  
Even if you tried to collect your broken pieces,  
I would steal them from your hands that I hold; I can't reach you,  
We can't see the glossed truths and falsehoods if there's no love.**_

**Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Akiko Shikata**

XXX

Light pulled himself from back underneath the covers. He stared, almost gaping, at L, who remained perfectly calm, with his thumb raised to his lips. Their eyes didn't meet, and Light frowned, brows knitted in confusion.

"Sexual... assault? _You?"_

Light looked away, covering his mouth with his hands, only to give a small laugh. "B-but why... I don't believe you. This ... this is a very bad joke."

L bit his thumb a bit harder. "It's not a joke."

Light continued to laugh, and shook his head. "Of course it's a joke! You'd never admit something so serious to me, of all people!"

L glanced at him. "But I just did. It's not a joke."

Light just kept shaking his head. "That can't be true. You aren't capable of molesting someone!"

L hesitated. He kept his eyes turned downwards as he said, "I didn't."

"Exactly!"

"I raped them."

The temporary silence that followed was shattered by Light bursting out laughing. "As if! _As if! _You, _you _raped someone? I haven't heard such _bullshit_ in my life before! This little joke is already getting old, stop it!"

L's eyes, darkened turned to Light. "Stop laughing. I'm honestly admitting something. Something I have only admitted to once in _my entire life_. Something that has caused me to consider fucking killing myself because of the guilt, something that I will never, _EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE BACK AND YOU HAVE THE FUCKING AUDACITY TO LAUGH?"_

Light jumped back, and found himself staring at L, whose face was now even worse than the time he'd gotten seriously angry before. Light fell against his floor, staring up at the older boy's twisted expression. All good emotion that had been there before – happiness that L was confiding in him, embarrassment at L figuring him out, and those other emotions from how L had acted, from how he'd said certain things, were now obliterated and were replaced by fear of L's anger, fear of L's past, self-hate at how Light himself had reacted, and then... Light didn't want to think it, but he felt a bit of jealousy. Jealousy that L had liked someone else and had gone as far as to force himself out of affection onto that person, no matter how wrong it was, and Light was jealous. L would never do that sort of thing to him. Hell, he didn't want to actually get raped, but the gesture would've meant something to him.

"You, you think everyone's the same. You underestimate other people completely, stating yourself higher than them, and you believe their problems can be totally ignored! You have as much idea when someone's being serious and when they are not as MUCH AS I HAVE!"

_Don't cry, no matter how much he shouts._

"And what, if you laugh it off, it can be ignored?"

"I... I didn't say that - -"

"YOU DON'T NEED TO!"

_You brought this upon yourself. At least don't cry._

"How... how do you even know that about me- -"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE LIKE ME!"

The way L shouted made Light flinch and blink. His eyes were stinging. _I said, do not cry..._

_I didn't mean to make anyone angry. I'm an idiot sometimes, though those times are rare, I know, but... but you, L, you're never an idiot, really. So is it so wrong that I wouldn't believe you could make such a mistake?_

Light spoke no louder than a whisper, his eyes stinging. "... Is it...?"

XXX

"_I got lies to tell your children  
When my smile pierces through your bones  
Right through your bones..."_

The cars rushed past as the rain slapped against Mikami Teru's face. He tried his best to ignore it, and clicked his tongue in irritation, hoping he would get home before the song currently playing on his iPod ended. If there was one thing he was proud of, it was his ability to speak English at the highest level in his class, and so, loved that he could listen to American music. There were still that odd word or two he would miss, though, not that it bothered him. Even though he was a perfectionist. Why?

Because it was something he could beat Light Yagami at.

He'd known the Yagami son from a young age. They'd been good friends at one point, not that Teru had frequently kept that much company. He had thought that Light was very talented- though not very artistic, and a bit vain- and believed that Light was on a higher level, and had looked up to him, in a way. However, that was when they were both young, and Teru had yet to realise that no matter how talented a person is, they can't do everything.

When the two of them were ten, their families had gone on holiday together. It'd all been pretty good, until they went rock-climbing. Light, when asked, had shaken his head, fearful. _I can't do it_. Those were his exact words. Teru did it, and was extremely shocked that Light was actually scared of something. He had taken it to heart, and became almost disgusted with Light.

And now, as he sat as the bus stop, he snorted as he thought of the upcoming school trip. Teru's school was going to be on the same trip, and Teru's mother wouldn't shut up about how he was 'going to see his handsome friend from next door'. _Naught but a means to find ways to humiliate Light_, Teru thought.

A bus pulled up, and Teru leaned forward to inspect it, to see whether it was his ride home, but fell back, disappointed, as he found out it wasn't.

A boy, about the same age as him, got off. He was Caucasian, had messy black hair, and a baggy school uniform, which, despite it's condition, Teru recognised as his own school's. He squinted slightly, as to identify the stranger, and the other boy's eyes met Teru's. _Holy fuck, either he's wearing some weird contact lenses or his eyes are red._

The boy gave a smile, and sat down next to Teru. A couple of beautifully quiet seconds passed, and then the strange boy spoke. "You're Teru Mikami, right?"

Teru glanced at him. He was still smiling, and despite his rather disturbing appearance, his tone was non-threatening.

"... Depends on who's asking."

The other boy's smile widened. He laughed a little, and stretched out a hand. "You may call me whatever you wish, as names have never truly held that much importance to me."

Teru's eyes narrowed, but he still shook the other's hand. His skin was cold. "That's a bit stupid. Don't you need a name?"

"Ah, what's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

"You don't look very sweet."

"Never said I did."

Teru frowned. "Okay... um... do I know you?"

The boy looked thoughtful for a minute, only to say, "... Nope. Can't say we've ever met. I mean, I was applied to your school, but I never attended."

"Then... how exactly do you know my name...?"

"Oh, I... I've heard of you before, from others. Friends of friends, you know?"

"... I... guess...?"

There were a couple of seconds more silence.

"You hate someone, don't you?"

"Huh?"

Teru found the other boy looking at him with wide, interested eyes, which's line of sight would flicker just above his head every now and again. He was chewing on his thumb, and was sitting in a crouch, which looked very hard to achieve on such a small bench.

"You hate someone, who you looked up to in the past, don't you?"

_What the fuck?_

"... So what if I do? There are many other people in the world who hate others under the exact same circumstances."

"But very few would believe they could better the situation by making the said hated party's own situation worse. Isn't that right?"

Teru gave the stranger a mild glare. The weirdo's smile widened even more. "What would you do if you were given a chance to get your own back on said person?"

Teru snorted. "I'd jump at it, just like everyone else."

The stranger jumped up. "Perfect! I tell you, this is fate. No, destiny!"

"W-what?"

The boy shoved his face into Teru's. "Listen," he whispered, though there was no-one else around, "I have been trying to get others to help me take down a certain someone who betrayed me in the past. I looked up to them, just like you did with your 'ex-idol'. But they betrayed me! I trusted them, and they didn't fulfill their duty. So why don't we cut a deal?"

Teru continued to frown, but was interested. Was this guy giving him a chance to get his own back on Light?

"... I'm listening. What do you mean a deal?"

"I mean," the stranger almost giggled excitedly, "that you help _me _get revenge, and I'll help _you_ get revenge. Simple, yes?"

"What kind of revenge?"

"Any kind. I don't care, as long as you assist me, I'll help you do anything. Legal or illegal."

"You're certainly desperate."

"Whatever. Deal, or no deal?"

Teru sized up the stranger again. He seemed a little out of the ordinary, unusual to say the least, but how good would it feel to see the utterly miserable face of one Light Yagami, after all this time? It would feel good. Very good. Not erotically good, but self-satisfyingly good. Like having a long hot bath and then falling asleep in fresh bedcovers. Yes, Teru wanted to shame Light. And maybe this freak could help him. Teru didn't have much to lose. To be completely honest, he couldn't say he trusted this boy- this stranger had already admitted to being a slightly pyschopathic truant. But Teru's mother never listened to him, he had no knowledge of his father's whereabouts and he wasn't feeling up to living a grade-A life at the moment. So, he should just let this guy help him. It would feel good to make Light, the so-called most perfect boy in the world, feel humiliated and fed up with life as much as Teru did. Might as well.

"... Sure, why not?"

Said freak's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll help you."

After a few minutes more talking, Teru's bus pulled up. As he boarded it, he turned to his... new friend. "So... so, in case we ever meet again, what should I call you?"

The stranger nodded. "Anything you wish."

Teru thought for a moment. "What about Ryuzaki?"

The stranger lit up again. "I like that name. That'll do. Oh, and Teru-san..."

The doors started to close, but the newly named Ryuzaki called louder. He held a contented smirk on his face.

"... We _will _meet again."

XXX

Misa stared up at the poster of Girls' Generation on her ceiling. It wasn't fair, dammit.

Her audition had been turned down, and now some other bitch was going to be on the new advert for some shampoo product.

She'd lost her tickets to the latest Gackt tour (I CAN HEAR A MILLION FANGIRLS SYMPATHISING ¬_¬).

Light was being hogged by that creepy manwhore Well or whatever his name was.

There were certain things that could be undone or fixed. The advert she had no say in, so that couldn't be helped. The tickets had either been stolen or lost, and the performance was tomorrow, so there wasn't much she could do about that.

However, there must've been a way to fix problem number three.

It seemed that everywhere Light went, that weird exchange student would be right behind him. It probably wasn't an intimate relationship– Light wasn't gay or anything, right?– more like a relationship where he had no other friends. They looked quite close. However, it seemed that Light acted unusually obedient towards him, as if he was besotted or something... God forbid. But that... it was an English letter... L? Yeah, that sounded right. But that L guy, he seemed uninterested. At that realisation, only one thought raced through Misa's head.

_OH EM GEE I HAVE JUST BEEN SMACKED BY A SUPER COOL IDEA!_

If L wasn't interested, that meant that Light was just looking for false hope, right? So if Misa could prove to him that L was a total asshole, he would give up on him, maybe giving up on other guys altogether! And, in his sorrow, he would realise how true and loyal Misa would be for him, how good she would be for him, unlike that limey weirdo.

But that involved finding something that L would get all touchy about, and would make him act insensitive towards Light...

Misa chewed on little finger thoughtfully.

Oh, wait! She hardly knew anything about L, did she? That would mean, in order to find his weakness (and get closer to Light in the process), she would have to- dare she say it?- become _friendly _with L. She growled a little at the idea of becoming friends with L, of all people, but if this idea was going to succeed, she knew she'd have to swallow her pride and get on with L. Not 'get _it _on', just get along. Ugh, it sounded awful already.

XXX

Matt stood at the back door of his family's house. Staring at the seemingly empty sky, he wished, for once, that he could be ashes. Ashes are what is left when you cremate the dead, and when the deceased's loved ones spread these ashes out, some fly up, up into the atmosphere, joining in the clouds, and turning to moisture, becoming rain or snow, travelling the world without a consciousness. Some get spread across the earth, and work as fertiliser, to help flowers bloom. It sounded so much better than simply becoming a cloud. Clouds don't get variation or choice.

It was somewhat unusually romantic, Matt thought, for him to think in such a way. He rubbed his index finger and his thumb together. He wanted a cigarette. But he knew it would be highly inappropriate to smoke in the house of a young family, especially as he himself was underaged, so he was reduced to sucking on a straw and clicking his fingers. Also, he longed for intelligent conversation that ranged beyond, "Hey, got any new info?", or, "Hey, where's this person?". Fuck, as if he knew. He was too busy with his own shit nowadays, anyway.

For example, that email.

What had it meant? A 'loyal son' like him... surely those idiots back in Britain knew he was anything but loyal to them? That he was just like all the others, and was going to scarper as soon as he got the chance. So, they believed that Matt was the one to give B and Near their farewell presents? To send back Mello? And they thought that L... was going to break? In what way?

Did they mean that boy, that son of L's temporary family? Was L going to break for him? _Because_ of him?

... Matt hoped that he was wrong.

But what did they want with Mello? Were they planning on doing something to him, or were they releasing him, or had he done something wrong, or ... or...

... Wait, why bother. With Mello, the possibilities were endless. Matt had sent back an email requesting why, but he'd had yet to receive an answer.

B and Near were still a highly standing issue. Nobody knew where they were, though it was most likely B had gotten them into hiding, and was currently planning something. Matt didn't want to get involved. If B was coming up with some amazing plan to off those old bastards, why should Matt stop him?

Matt closed his eyes. He didn't care anymore. He was fed up. He wanted some form of comfort, or security. The house just... didn't feel safe. Matt walked to the door, pulled on his striped fleece and shoes, telling the wife of the house he'd return later, and that he was off to see a friend.

XXX

_Something warm and moist slithered over Light's chest, making him lean back into the mattress. Light gasped, and the wet thing travelled upwards, covering Light's mouth, and started to play with his tongue. _

"_Mmmh!"_

_He felt hands grope his ass, and pulled away._

"_Wait... Ryuzaki..."_

Light's eyes shot open, and he stared at the ceiling for exactly 3.04 seconds before pulling back the bed covers to inspect himself.

"... Fuck!"

XXX

Light watched the other kids on the playground. He was still upset. The day before had been awful, and L had disappeared for the remainder of the day. He still hadn't returned. It had put Light on edge. He obviously was, as hard as it seemed to believe, taking this 'badly'. It was somewhat foreign to him, to feel bad that he'd said the wrong things, and gotten someone he considered to be beneath him – as he considered everyone else- to hate him.

Could it be possible? Could he of actually... considered L someone worth keeping company with?

Well, it wasn't as if he was in love or anything. But it was definitely confusing. Why... why was it that since L had shoved his uninvited way into Light's life, that Light had become more and more confused? Huh, it was obviously all L's fault. First he had been confused about their living arrangements. Afterwards, he'd gotten confused about his reaction to being naked around L (which he believed was extremely out of character). Then, he'd been confused about L's secrecy towards his own background. After that, he'd gotten confused as to why, when L had kissed him, it took him two whole hours to truly comprehend what had happened, and that he was supposed to feel disgusted, not attracted. He'd gotten confused when L proceeded to kiss him yet another two times, though he was now ready to admit that the third kiss _was_ partly his fault. He'd gotten confused that he'd noticed the changes in L's behaviour, the way he treated Light, and the difference in the kisses...

Light held his head in his hands. His mind was just... full of L.

He believed that L was possibly the worst influence that Light had ever encountered in his life. He was sending Light down a road he _really_ didn't want to travel down- honestly- and it was sending Light insane. And not only that... these dreams he kept having were practically assaulting him.

Seriously. Whoever this, 'Ryuzaki' person was, he was becoming a pain in the ass. Literally. It seemed that almost every three or four days, sometimes two days in a row, he'd dream about this guy touching him up. And even worse, when he'd come to, he'd check below the belt and whoosh! He'd have an erection. What fourteen year-old dreams about being molested by a stranger and, upon awakening, be forced to wait around until 'it' settled down, only to figure that 'it' wasn't going to piss off by 'itself' because he was too preoccupied by his thoughts about the dream, meaning he'd have to make a visit to the bathroom he wasn't proud about? In a way, it was good that L wasn't around because it meant he could take these Bathroom-Visits-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named without some idiot trying to trip him up or saying, "Where you going?" to scare the shit out of you, seeing as you were in a dark room where you can see absolutely nothing.

But the room had felt empty.

God, L had only been here for a month or so. Wait, was that long enough to get acquainted with someone's company? Or was he trying to say he was... _attached_ to L? It sounded impossible. He'd said before he'd been attracted to L, but... but not enough to make him _long_ for him, or anything. Ugh, the mere expression made him retch.

But he did seriously wonder where L was.

Was it normal in England for a person to just stand up one day and say, "You know what? I can't stand you people. I'm going to piss off for an uncertain amount of time."? Light gripped at his hair. If only he'd known when to keep his mouth shut. Then L would still be around, and his parents wouldn't be pissing themselves out of fear that they'd be sued for letting a child (was L really a child? Yeah, age-wise, but... it didn't sound right...) that they were unrelated to go missing. And Light would have something to entertain himself with in his spare time.

Yeah... in an awkward, almost forced way... Light did miss him.

And he honestly wanted to know all the answers. He wanted to know the answer to every question that had arisen due to L's behaviour. Goddammit, why couldn't the boy be normal? At least then Light would be less confused about why he was attracted to L in the first place.

XXX

L let the rain roll down his cheeks, and let out a harsh cough. He was in neither the best of moods or the best of health. It seemed Japan _was _too foreign for him, and no matter where he looked or how far he traveled, it just wasn't happening for him. B had completely disappeared, it seemed. L had had to stay out for days on end back in England, trekking through the frosty British countryside without any food, eating snow to stay alive, torn and bruised. He'd thought he'd now gotten aquainted with traveling light and fasting, but he had forgotten that the terrain was different here, and had no idea where he was headed. He had walked in a circle three times already.

_Circles. Tracing circles._

This... reminded L of something...

_Ahh, now I remember. Light._

L knew he told Light way too much. He also knew he'd overreacted to Light's behaviour afterwards, and knew it would be difficult and awkward to talk to him when L returned- _if_ he returned. But L guessed if Light was as sincere as his reactions to L's outburst were, he would be truly sorry, and this was just something they'd get over.

_... L..._

L shivered a bit. He remembered Light's face when L had last touched him, and felt a little deprived.

_W... what was that...?_

L shook his head. No, this was good for him. Being far away from Light was good for his health. And Light's. Kissing, touching, affection on the whole, was to be avoided. He'd already... _lost control_ twice. He'd gotten used to covering it up, and used a majority of his energy to avoid fantasizing about sex. It was bad, how he'd lashed out. So this, running away from having to return, and chasing B, was good for them both. Well, maybe not the bit about the awful weather, the lack of food and having to chase B in the first place, but the rest was A-OK.

He needed to stop thinking about Light, anyway.

It was okay to think about how L would make out- - no, no, _NO_- make up, _make up_- with Light, but besides that,letting his mind wander to Light was a very bad idea.

L needed a release. And some medicine.

L walked down a designated alleyway, and, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something that seemed familiar. An man, around twenty-nine, thirty years of age, was staring at him. As soon as L's eyes met his, the man pulled out what looked like a keycard from his denim jacket, and beckoned to L. L nodded, and upon approaching the man, observed the logo on the card. L's guess had been right. It looked like he was going to get that medicine. And, if this man was who L thought he was, probably the longed-for release, too.

The man grinned at L, and called to him in English, accompanied by a German accent. "Vell vell, look who I found, on such a vet and lonely night, vanderin' the dark streets of Tokyo."

L grimaced. "Wolfgang."

"Unt vearing such a pretty expression too!" The man giggled a bit. "Vhy aren't you at home, little boy?"

"You know why," L replied, not bothering to change his gnarled tone, "And I think it's _me_ who should be asking why _you _aren't at home."

"Oh, I vas the nominated babysitter. They sent me to check up on everyone. Any info on Higuchi yet?"

"Please. Don't bother asking me that. "

"As expected." Wolfgang's eyes lidded a little. "You look _hungry_."

L had already picked up on the hint. His expression still had yet to change, but he replied with a clarity that told the other man that he was totally willing to comply. "So do you."

Wolfgang laughed a laugh that had a disturbing ring to it. He looked L up and down, and gently placed a black leather gloved hand onto L's shoulder. Despite being gentle, it held a threatening grip. "I haf some extra clothes at my room, at the nearby hotel. Food too. Vhy don't you come back vith me? I'll fix you up for the night."

Wolfgang bent down to L's ear. As L noticed his approach, he looked to his feet."At a price. Vhich you vell know."

L stiffened, and felt the usual churning in his stomach, but nodded again, still staring at the floor. "... Very well."

"Good to hear." Wolfgang pulled away, and before turning away, he looked to L. "Who knows," He continued, still grinning, "if you do vell, I might just tell you some info I found about your little target. B, vas it?"

Upon hearing B's name, L's eyes, widened, shot up to meet Wolfgang's. Wolfgang chuckled again. "That's the spirit!" He laughed.

XXX

AHAHAHA prostitution -_-

I decided to write down the way Wolfgang accent, so if anyone is confused on how to read what he's saying, just go over it again, replacing Vs with Ws and Unt with And.

Also: I'm thinking about rewriting Chapter 1.

If you're against this (or for it, I don't mind) please review and tell me to stop (or continue). It'll have a lot more plot in it, since I noticed how lazy the writing is for the chapter. I feel ashamed -_-


	10. Dude, Where's my Dignity?

MANY THANKS FOR THE 100 REVIEWS!

As once said by GLaDOS, I'm still guys are probably wondering where I've been. If you even care. Sob. Nah, I'm kidding. I've just been a lazy ass of late, so I decided to wait for inspiration to slap me in the face again, and come back to this later. It kinda worked, 'cause I returned to writing this train wreck.

I recently read the kink meme on Livejournal. I mean... after reading it, I've never wanted some fluff so bad. Seriously.

Also, I wanted to tell people to GO READ THE AMAZING STUFF WRITTEN BY **Moonphase9**. She is awesome and NEEDS MORE REVIEWS. I'm not pitying her or anything, but her stuff really needs more interest!

XXX

The sound of fingers pressing the buttons of a keyboard rapidly resounded through the room, and Light stared at the slightly ominous plastic screen of his laptop, the constantly darkening circles underneath his eyes simply screaming THIS GUY NEEDS SOME SLEEP.

Light re-read the words slithering up his laptop's screen. _How to find a missing person..._

It had been three weeks. Three. Long. Weeks.

L had not even texted to say he was okay. No appearance whatsoever. He'd just... vanished. And Light's dad had not been taking it well. L's grandfather had apparently been assaulting him with emails, saying 'Where is L?', and 'Is L back yet?'.

And Light had been reduced to looking on the Internet for answers.

Not that he wanted to see L that badly. He just didn't like seeing his father so depressed.

Not that seeing L would be a bad thing.

Light smacked himself on the head out of his own annoyance. He'd given up on telling himself to stop thinking about L, and to stop thinking inappropriately. But, he just... couldn't.

And the dreams had an awful clasp on him.

He couldn't stop wondering about sex, and he couldn't stop dreaming about sex, and he couldn't stop thinking about L. It was as if all boundaries had been torn down in his head... no, rather they had fallen from lack of care. He wouldn't bother going to the bathroom at night anymore... he'd just lie in bed and relieve himself.

The worst part was, when he masturbated, he would think about the dreams. But the idea of sleeping with a faceless person wasn't exactly exciting, and somewhere along the way he'd started... he'd started... pretending this 'Ryuzaki' guy was...

L. Ugh. Light shivered at his own disgust.

He hoped he wasn't creating a blurred image of L. Not to mention that he was now forced to admit to himself that he was attracted to L.

The futon L would sleep on was constantly unfurled next to Light's bed. Light glanced at it, and turned back to the crappy website he was viewing. Ugh, how useless. None of the information had given him a slight insight as to where L was. Light had searched every possible place L could've been. But he hadn't even glimpsed him once, no matter where he went.

Light bit his index finger out of habit. It was amazing how persistent this worrying of his was.

Light stood up. He was tired, and turned towards his bed, and started making his way towards it. He scratched the back of his head haphazardly, and yawned. He could feel his eyes watering. It was what, almost three in the morning? How troublesome...

However, Light wasn't watching his footing, and tripped on the edge of the messy futon that obstructed his path to his bed.

"Shit!"

He fell flat on his face onto the futon, and, as usual when it had to do with L (it _was_ his futon) he somehow managed to hurt his nose.

Too tired to pull himself up immediately, Light lied face down on the futon for a minute or two. Before he knew it, a musty, familiar smell assaulted his nasal passage. The smell of burnt sugar, and foreign soap...

... L.

Light lay very still upon remembering who the scent belonged to, frozen, only to then bunch the blankets up in his hands, press his face into the covers and smell more deeply, out of impulse. He didn't care anymore. Who would care, anyway? He wasn't in love with L, he didn't like L. He just believed that, for some strange, strange reason, L was extremely attractive. Though a few seconds prior to such impulsive behaviour, he began to regret his lack of self-control as the images from his dreams began to attack him.

It all... just dwarfed everything else in his head.

Not before too long, a bulge began to form in his trousers, and he decided he couldn't be asked to stop himself. He'd attempted in the past, and found that it was of no use- all it did to him was slightly postpone his... actions. His hand slowly, ever so slowly, snuck past his waist, and undid the zipper of his jeans. His hand started to work of its own accord, and, his senses blind to everything save for the smell of L and the slowly encompassing warmth that spread through his crotch. Light closed his eyes and moaned into the blankets, and would've been completely lost in himself...

... Had it not been for the sound of someone clearing their throat from behind him.

"You seem to be enjoying the bedding."

Light's eyes snapped open almost immediately, and, completely forgetting he had his junk uncovered, rolled over and pulled himself up in sheer surprise. The room was quite dark, and his eyes were not adjusted to the lack of light.

"Whuh? Who is there?"

The figure sighed, and landed head first onto the futon, at first next to Light, then onto Light's thigh. "Take a wild guess." He sighed, muffled by the blankets.

Light's eyes widened, and he sat up with a start. He examined the stranger quickly, scanning their, from what Light could make out, spiky black hair and pale skin. To come to any other conclusion would mean Light was a total idiot.

"...L? Is.. Is that you?"

"No, it's Joan Rivers. Get the hell out of my house."

"Who's Joan Rivers?"

"Light, I'm tired. Too tired to explain..."

"I'm guessing from your sarcastic reply and mentioning of people I have never heard of before that it is you... Where have you been?"

L paused.

"I have been on a long journey down the side of South America on an old rusty bike, with an overweight acquaintance of mine, out of my own desire for a sense of reckless abandonment."

"... Is it me, or are you quoting a movie I've never heard of before?"

"Yes, Light. Yes I am."

Light frowned, and rolled L off of his leg. "L," he began, inspecting the older boy's face. Upon doing so, he recoiled in disgust. L's breath stank...

"Are you drunk?"

L paused yet again.

"... Yes. Yes I am."

Light recoiled a little, sporting a now deep-set frown. "What? _What? _Who the hell gave _you _alcohol?"

"Some German guy."

"... Are you high?"

"No, just a little intoxicated, or abbreviated, or inebriated... or whatever..."

"Just a fucking little?"

"Yeah..."

Light scratched his head, and his eyes flickered up and down L's body, attempting to figure out what exactly to do. He could get L some coffee, to sober him up... but what if he woke his parents? He'd have too many questions to answer, and he was too tired to bother doing that.

At that point he remembered he was uncovered, and managed to grab some of the blankets to hide his modesty (or disguise the erection as a weird crease, who knows). Staring at the currently drunk fifteen year old through the darkness, he felt the urge to talk.

"So... where did you actually go...?"

L pulled himself up, and leant against Light's shoulder. Light flinched a little, but didn't move.

"I went to, like... look for someone."

Light paused, scanning his memory for the time when L had said something similar to him. "... Is this person the same one you were looking for before?"

"Hmh? Oh, yeah."

Light's frown increased in size. "So... was the german person the one you were looking for? Why did he give you alcohol?"

L groaned at the idea of having to talk more. "He wasn't, and that's why I, like, drank what he gave me. He was like..." L put on an incredibly incorrect accent, which he obviously found hard to convey into Japanese (while he was under the influence of vodka, anyway), " ... '_Herr, drank zum off dis_!', so I took some, and it smelt like it was attracting everyone's attention..."

"Why?"

"What? Ah, wait... wait, I mean, it smelt like nail varnish... but I didn't care, I just wanted to forget stuff, y'know?"

Light squinted a little at L, trying to see the outline of his features more. "What were you trying to forget?" He said quietly.

L laughed sarcastically. "Ohohoho, you... want to know? Basically... basically... basically, I had no food or water or anything, and I was like, ill... but, but this guy, I know him, he like works for people... people, y'know?" L paused and Light could just make out that L was looking at him, as if expecting a reply.

_Remember, Light, don't try to reason with the drunk._ "Yeah, I know."

Light heard the rustling of material as L nodded his head. It seemed the longer L talked, the drunker he sounded. "So, he's like... he's like, '_Hay, I cun halp you_!' So I let him help me!" L sounded strangely proud as he finished the sentance, as if he'd defeated a dragon, or used the toilet on his own for the very first time.

L then went very quiet. "But there was... I had to do stuff... I mean, I'm, like, used to it... the alcohol, the having to do it... and stuff..." L suddenly sounded very downhearted. Light could sense it in the atmosphere... well, he could feel that L was upset. Light felt bad. Damn, what should he do? Do something comforting, but manly. _I wonder what he was forced to do... _Light placed a hand on L's shoulder, pulling him into him a bit. L sighed as he did so, and reacted by wrapped his arms around Light in an uncharacteristically needy embrace (which made Light's spine go as straight as a pole, turning the whole situation into something twice as awkward). The older boy buried his face into Light's shirt. "Light... Light-o... Light-oooooooooooo..."

Light grimaced a bit.

"Light... you're nice to me. You're nice, Light. You smell nice, too... Good guy didn't smell German, I mean, German guy didn't smell... good... but Light-oooo does..."

L pushed his face into Light's neck. "... Light... can help, can help me forget stuff... too, but I would like it, because Light is a nice person." Light felt a hand brush against his breast bone. Light shivered, and went to slap his hand away, but L then pushed his lips against Light's neck, tracing them up his neck to his jawbone. Light made a small groan, and then went to grab L's wrist. "I want to kiss Light..."

"L, get lost, your breath stinks..." Light attempted to wrench the drunk off of him, but L moved his hand to Light's hip. He felt L's breath graze his cheek, and sensed something wet slide against the skin behind his ear, then lips pucker against his cheek, coming closer and closer to Light's mouth. The smell of vodka and salt stung Light's nostrils, and L's tongue flickered against the edge of the younger boy's mouth, and despite Light's past protests, as soon as L rubbed against his upper thigh with his hand, Light ended up going lax. L's tongue, it's taste tinged with alcohol and a unknown sour flavour, invaded Light's mouth, sucking against Light's own tongue a little. Light pulled himself away, once again pushing against L chest in an attempt to get free, and panted. L wrapped his arms around Light, and sighed out, sounding relieved. "I like Light... so much right now..."

Light, still surprised, stared at L. Light was tired, and L was obviously exhausted. All attempts at getting L to have a proper conversation with Light had failed quite miserably, and, not knowing what else to do, Light simply patted L on the back and manouvered him around into his futon, then leaving the now sleeping L, whilst hoping the moron was back to himself in the morning.

XXX

"Ugh, it's like the Red Army Choir are having a shouting competition in my head."

"It's your own fault for getting drunk like that."

Light looked strangely laid-back as he sat at the kitchen table, reading something that looked like a dictionary. He wasn't actually interested in the dictionary, he just wanted to do something that made him look like he was ignoring L. L was face down on the table, with his hands covering his ears. He would groan from time to time, and fidget slightly, then go on to say something either annoying or offensive.

"I hate this house so much."

"Why?"

"Because you're in it."

Oh yeah, the argument before L had left. He was obviously still sore about it. But Light wasn't an extremely sensitive person when it came to other people, so he had no real idea as to how to apologise without sounding like a total berk. Not to confuse you- there's a huge difference between being sensitive and being emotional. Light can only achieve one.

"Wow, you were so nice last night I actually thought you'd forgotten about everything."

"I had. Hell, I was so _nice_ last night that I'd forgetten exactly why I was nice or if I even _was_ nice to you in the first place. And I'm so pissed off with you, I can't even be asked to pretend I'm all monotonous and stuff."

"... You're still drunk, aren't you?"

"Drunk enough to be tired. But sober enough to punch you in the face."

"..."

_I hope he sobers up before we get to school._

Light managed to drag L into a coffee shop on the way to school, and despite his protests (and with a little force-feeding) L eventually drank the cup. And Light sincerly hoped that the caffeine would work. If it didn't, the only back-up plan there was was to totally ignore L and pray that he didn't embarass himself.

However, he had no such luck, as usual.

"Hey Ero! Nice posture!"

"Well, that's a rather original insult... nice boobs."

This would have made more sense if he wasn't talking to Suga (you know, that random minor character I made up for comedic purposes). Light massaged his temples. It was going to be a very long day...

XXX

TWO CLUMSY ACCIDENTS AND ESTIMATELY TWENTY FOUR INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS LATER...

"This isn't right."

"What isn't right?"

"L, you're _holding my hand_."

"Am I?"

"Yes. Please get the hell off."

"Well, _excuse me_, princess..."

"Please, for the love of God, get off. And sober up. It's actually starting to freak me out how out of character you are."

"Whatever..."

After finally prying his hand out of L's grip, Light began to walk ahead of L, not too far as to look like he was trying to get away, but close enough to keep the elder boy in his sight. Light found it hard to believe he'd atually wanted the freak back, and the phrase 'Be careful what you wish for,' kept being repeated in his head like there was a small parrot inside his brain, who was trying to make an extremely obvious point. Rubbing his eyes, Light begged a higher power to somehow make the journey home a lot shorter.

As they came up to the small, low-rising bridge that lay in their path, L stumbled and clasped at Light's school shirt sleeve.

"What is it now?"

"Light... I don't feel too good..."

"You don't look too good, either. Not that you ever do."

"Light, not now, I seriously... urrrrrgh..."

At that precise moment, L made a disgusting hacking nose, and proceeded to push Light forward a little and throw up on the pavement. Light's eyes widened a little in shock, his eyebrows raised. However, it took him less than two seconds to quickly change his expression from one of shock to distaste. He wrinkled his nose and grimaced.

"Well, that's embarrassing."

"... Shut up... augh..."

L coughed a few times, and leaned against a wall for a little while, before crouching down to relax his gut a little. Light frowned, feeling a slight bit awkward and out of place, as people walked past, avoiding the mess, and staring at him and L.

"L, you okay?"

"Yeah... yeah, yeah, I'll be fine..."

"Can you get up?"

"Yes, I'll be there in a minute..."

Light, being the uncaring male he was, turned and began to start walking away, thinking L could easily follow. What Light didn't notice was that L, as most drunk or hungover people do when they believe they can achieve something, began to fall, almost before he'd even managed to actually stand up. That was then followed by four events happening.

First, L began to tumble forward.

Then, he smashed head first into Light before pushing the other boy forward and continuing his journey from standing to lying face down on the concrete.

After that, Light kept moving forward against his own will due to gravity and his own lousy reflexes, which didn't really work well unless he was on guard. Which he wasn't at the time.

Then finally, Light found himself traveling over the side of the bridge.

There was a yell and when L looked up, Light had disappeared. Being in an unstable state, it took L a little bit longer to comprehend what had actually happened than usual, and when L finally managed to pull himself up onto the side of the wall, he gazed over the side of the bridge, hoping he wouldn't find anyone down there.

He only saw a crumpled mass lying face up on the rocks of the stream, eyes closed and not moving.

"..."

L stared at the unconscious boy for a bit.

"..."

He stared some more, and frowned deeply.

"I think," he said aloud, "I think I just killed Light."

At that moment, Light groaned a little, unconcious for only a few seconds. L was starting to get a headache, and as Light made the noise, L's hand reached up to the side of his head, and he moaned in displeasure.

"Ugh, even in death you're annoying and loud."

Light said nothing, too scared to move. He opened his eyes a little, still scared to move a limb in case he'd broken something, and scanned the sky and surrounding area above him for someone to shout for help to or a sign that he hadn't fallen too far. He shivered a little as the cold water of the tiny stream that flowed beneath him wet through his shirt and washed against his skin.

"L..."

He called quietly. He didn't want to be too loud, but he wanted to know where L was, or for someone to notice he'd fallen. However, he recieved neither.

"L!"

Light called out, louder this time. A black, spiky bush with eyes peered over at him.

"You're awfully loud for a dead person. Did I do it right?"

"L, help me! You're not usually this dumb!"

Light attempted to move a little, his confidence growing. As soon as he tried to shift his weight, pain shot through his upper body and his ankle.

"Ah!"

"Wait, the dead feel pain now?"

"L, shut up and help me! Sober up already, you _moronic rapist buffoon_!"

L paused. He wasn't sure whether to be insulted (and if he was, which word was he insulted by?) or surprised that Light had used an underused word like buffoon. Now he thought about it, buffoon sounded like a type of monkey... buffoon, buffalo, baboon!

"L, FOR CHRISTS SAKE! I am getting WET HERE!"

_Heh, that's what she said_, L thought in English.

"L!"

L sighed, stressed by his increasing headache and burning throat, and began to climb clumsily down the loose rocks that covered the walls of the stream edge towards Light.

"Wait, what are you doing? Get help, you idiot! Don't come down here, you might kill yourself! Or, more importantly, me!"

L shrugged to himself, and sat down next to Light.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere. I fell off a fucking bridge, L!"

L shrugged again. "Fine, be that way."

L grabbed Light's arm, and pulled. "Hey, what are you...?"

Light was cut short as L pulled the younger boy up and managed to manoeveur Light onto his back. The two (or rather, the one carrying the other one) stood in the corridor under the bridge, while L tried to figure out exactly how they would get back to the road...

XXX

(For those who don't understand L's confusion of words- when he said, wait, I mean nail varnish- he is getting confused between the word manikyua-eki (nail varnish/ nail polish) and mekimeki (to be conspicuous, or to attract attention). Basically he said, "Sore wa mekimeki no youna nioi...". Or something along those lines. Wow, I'm a weaboo.)

I'm sorry this chapter took so effing long, but a lot of crazy shit has happened and not everything I wanted to do could be done. Hope this isn't too late, though... That bit of fluff was weird... a bit unlike me -_- I think Light is very OOC in this. I feel bad...

I would really, really love to have some reviews. They make me want to write faster. So review for me... pretty please?


	11. The joys of drugs

HEY THAR YOU SEXY PEOPLE

To everyone who gave me ideas, you are awesooooome.

To everyone that's reviewed or favourited or whatever, also a million thanks. Also thanks to everyone who encouraged/ helped/ tortured me about/with this chapter. You guys are cool beans. Also, sorry for taking so goddamn long with the updates, I've been piled up with work lately and have procrastinated like fuck. Many thanks to everyone for being so patient 3

THANK YOU AND GOODNIIIIIIIIIIGHT.

XXX

"Y'know... what this moment... needs?"

"... No, L. What could this moment possibly need?"

"_Simply the Best_ by... Tina Turner... playing in... background."

"How the hell would that possibly improve the situation?"

"I have... no... idea... but at least... it would... look cool."

Light shook his head and gave an annoyed sigh. How the hell had he ended up in this situation again?

Oh yeah, he'd fallen off a bridge. Or something.

And he was currently being carried by a drunken/hung over white boy, who was humming _Eye of the Tiger_ to himself and was attempting to walk to the beat of his own tune, much to Light's distaste. But it was getting dark, and Light's body was aching, so couldn't really care less. He tried to look casual as pedestrians stared at them passing by, but it failed, so he decided he actually didn't want to care, and buried his face into the back of L's head. It wasn't a very bright idea, as it turned out it was one of L's 'sensitive areas' (which he had somehow kept in touch with through his inebriated state), and L almost dropped the younger boy out of sheer surprise.

It was so embarrassing. Light had felt paranoid- if anyone from school were to see them, who knows what crap would be made up about him, due to this ridiculous situation? But, although his pride stopped him from saying it, he was _somewhat_ appreciative. He seriously believed that attempting to walk, at that moment in time, he would look drunker than L. Even though L was holding up extremely well, he would still look completely pissed. Looking all around him, Light chewed his lip- if he didn't attempt to look at every corner at all times, someone he knows might appear from a direction he wasn't looking in! _Ugh, the pressure...!_

But that didn't matter at the moment, or rather, he managed to convince himself it didn't matter at that moment. He deliberately (or haphazardly) thought, _So what? _and managed to close his eyes, and sink into L's back. Without thinking, he started to drift off to sleep.

They did bump into someone. But Light didn't know it, so he didn't register it as a problem.

A mop of crimson hair on legs stood up from a nearby vending machine and almost smashed directly into L's face as it turned around. L himself didn't recognise said mop of hair, and when he heard his name being said in a slightly confused voice, L was close to turning too abruptly, and throwing Light and himself into a lampost. The fifteen year old stared at the stranger, attempting to put a name to a face through his (somehow still) drunken vision. "L? What the hell?"

L blinked a couple of times. Noting how much of a dead weight Light felt, he guessed that the younger boy was asleep. A little voice in the back of his head (that was what L usually listened to. However, not now- the little voice was currently being drowned out by the obnoxious beatboxing of that rather large voice that L got when he was drunk) starting moaning. _Great timing, Light. Just great._

"_Dare_...?" L asked in Japanese, not bothering to be polite.

"For God's sake, L, how drunk are you, exactly?" The stranger growled, in English. "It's me."

L looked deep in thought. "M... Mello?"

Matt shook his head, massaging his temples. "Matt. M. A. T. T."

"... Mat-Tee."

"... That'll do. What the hell happened here?"

"A bridge. I think."

Matt simply sighed. Looking around, and with the surrounding stares, Matt decided this wasn't the best place a drunk L, being accompanied (Well, being carried by L was the more correct statement...) by... _whoa whoa whoa_, wait, was that...?

"L, is that Light Yagami?"

"So what if it is...?"

Matt frowned. He knew L was more trustworthy nowadays, but... still... Matt recalled what L had told him over the phone those few weeks ago.

"I don't like the idea of you being... like this... at this time of night, especially with... that guy. Wait, is he injured...? Is he the reason, "a bridge happened" earlier?"

"... Kinda..."

Matt glanced around nervously. For some strange reason, he suddenly felt like the situation was more complex and dangerous than he'd originally estimated. He needed to get L out of the open. Out of view, so nobody could see him in such a... situation, especially since _the_ Light Yagami was here.

XXX

When Light came to, he was laying on a foreign bed, in a bedroom he didn't recognise. He raised his head a little, scanning the surrounding area, and began to feel his senses returning to him – especially the heavy, silent weight compressing against his chest. It seemed that L was fast asleep atop of him, face buried in Light's neck. Light felt way too tired to move, so simply laid there, staring at the ceiling, wondering where the hell he was. At that moment, he heard the creaking of footsteps approaching the room from the outside, and pretended to be unconscious.

There was the sound of the door opening, then Light opened his eyes slightly – not enough so that his eyes were open, but enough so that he could see in small detail – and saw a red – haired boy carrying a cardboard box. He was white, and a pair of goggles were hiding his eyes. A small lollipop stick hung out of his mouth, like a fake cigarette. The boy glanced, quickly, in the direction of the bed, and then turned to the box as he placed it on the floor, pulling away the cellotape that acted as the lock stopping anyone from simply looking inside.

"... I see you're awake then."

Light dazed a little. Was he talking to him? He didn't move.

"I know you're awake, Light Yagami."

... What?

Light opened his eyes fully, without moving, and looked directly at the stranger, who still had his back turned to them.

"... Who are you...?"

"An acquaintance of L's. You're lucky I found you both."

"Do you have a name?"

"Call me Mail."

The boy pulled out a small toolbox from the bigger cardboard box, and placed it on a chair next to the bed. He opened it, inspecting the contents, and gestured to Light to move away from L. Light shook his head, gesturing towards L's splayed out body as if to say, _"What do you mean, move?"_

'Mail' shrugged. "Feel free to push him off you. He won't wake up for anything in this state."

Light, uneasy, nodded to 'Mail', and shoved L off of him, making the older boy grunt as he hit the mattress. The stranger – who also appeared older than Light – removed a syringe from the toolbox, as well as a phial of medicine. He pressed the needle of the syringe into the medicine, filling it, and beckoned to L. 'Mail' didn't seem to enjoy talking much.

"Roll up his sleeve to his shoulder."

Light glanced nervously at the needle. What was going on? "What... what's that for?"

"To check if he's been poisoned."

_Poisoned? L?_ "What? Why would he be poisoned? He's just drunk, isn't he?"

'Mail' gave Light a serious look. "How long has he been like this?"

"S-since yesterday... why?"

"No one stays drunk for more than a day, Yagami-kun. Unless they intake alcohol for more than twenty-four hours, minus any small breaks. It's suspicious, so I'm going to neutralise anything that could be dangerous."

"What... what? Who _are you?"_

"The owner of this bedroom. Now roll up his sleeve."

Light was still nervous. He moved, sluggishly, towards L, and tugged at the white shirt sleeve, pulling it up past the fifteen- year old's shoulder. 'Mail' brushed L's arm, brazing it with a tissue, and entered the needle into L, slowly, neatly, as if he'd done it before. Light, feeling somewhat nauseous, turned his head away, not wanting to see anything go in or out of L.

_T-that sounds wrong... goddamn it, Light, this isn't the time!_

Light was extremely bewildered – he had no idea why they were here, who this person was, but he was just letting them drug up L as if it was nothing. Dammit, he was so useless! Running his gaze over L's face, to avoid looking at his arm, he hoped that what he was letting the older boy do was right. L's eyelashes, dark, yet fairer than L's actual hair, flickered a little as L flinched slightly, probably feeling a pinch of pain from the needle. Hand shaking, Light did as one who has seen their mother treat younger siblings many times before, and wiped the blackened bangs out of L's eyes, away from his sweating forehead. L's breathing was rough, a slight rasping noise being made every time the fifteen-year-old breathed out.

Light didn't think where they were was as important anymore. "What's wrong with him?"

'Mail' paused. "... He's been drugged in the last seventy-two hours, and has fallen ill. You should take him home after this."

_L had run away for a little while a couple of days ago, hadn't he? _Light remembered, _Maybe he got drugged then! Maybe... maybe this guy might know something..._

"H-hey..." Light started. The red head nodded, as to acknowledge Light, but still refused to look away from the syringe.

"Hey... L left my house the other day... h-he's actually left home a couple of times, looking for someone, an old friend... Was he looking for you?"

'Mail' looked up at Light. His eyes were unseen from behind his goggles, but somehow Light could tell their curious expression. "L was looking for someone?" The stranger continued to stare directly at Light.

"Yeah... I thought maybe, you..."

"No, not me. I've been in contact with him ever since he came to Japan. But I think I know who he was talking about." Although his answers were very straight to the point, Light could tell that the red head was becoming less apprehensive of him, and was starting to become, for want of a better word, more talkative.

"Really? You do? Then could you... could you tell me? Please."

'Mail' cleared up the tiny pierced area of skin on L's arm, before placing a plaster atop of it. "Why would you want to know?" He stood up from his crouching, and turned to Light. "It's not like you could do anything to help us find him."

"Us? So, you're looking for him too?"

'Mail' flinched at his own stupidity. Turning away, towards the toolbox again, he talked in a monotone voice Light recognised as akin to L's constant tone. "You seem to care quite a lot about L's affairs. Do you like him?"

Light almost fell off the bed. "W-what?" he stuttered in a high pitched voice, "Me? _Him? _No, nononono no no no. No. I could never... I don't..."

Light could slightly hear a snigger from the boy with the toolbox. _He's probably thinking, 'Methinks thou doest protest too much', or something..._

God, Light was obvious. Dreadfully obvious, just like L had said. Sure, he didn't... _hate..._ L, but he would never say he liked him in that way... or any way, really... So what if L had somehow turned up in the not-so-child-friendly dreams of the fourteen year-old? That was supposed to be healthy, wasn't it? To have _those _kind of dreams? Well, they never said anything about another member of the same sex who you weren't even _friends with _being involved. B-but that didn't mean that Light wasn't normal! And he didn't like L. He didn't want to have sex with L, like he had in his dreams, either. S-so what if he'd gotten worked up when L ran off? So what if he'd masturbated on L's bed just because it smelled like him? So what if they'd kissed more than once? So what if...

So what if, in the smallest amount possible, he found L, for some awkward, unknown reason, sexually attractive? So what if... so what if he liked him, if only a little...

It was all L's fault anyway.

Light stared at L, the dark marks underneath his eyes, the strands of black hair arranged in random directions, the now slowing rise and fall of his chest. It was all his fault that Light liked him. If only L hadn't done that stupid crap, like kissing him... If only that hadn't happened, Light might not have even been here...

"So," 'Mail' started, interrupting Light's train of thought, "I'm assuming that you're going to attempt to stick your nose into things then?"

"What?"

"You know, to take this as a chance to ask me questions pertaining to L behind his back?"

"No ...Why would I do that?"

"Because right now, and I mean this as in no way to offend you, but..." The boy turned quickly, grabbed Light's shoulder, and Light felt wet cloth being pushed against his face.

"Right now, you could be a bit of a burden."

Light's vision started to fade almost immediately, and his whole body went limp. _Wait, now I'm being...!_

Light slumped over next to L, and Matt looked on at the two of them sleeping. He felt like a mother who'd just tucked two of her children into bed.

XXX

Light awoke in his own room, in his own bed, with L nowhere to be seen. Light scanned the room frantically, wondering whether he'd just dreamed what had happened. Pulling himself up and out of bed, he felt like crap, and his ankle was killing him, despite it now being covered in bandages. That damn redhead! He'd gotten the drop on Light, and now Light felt increasingly worried as to where he could find L.

Walking as fast as his sprain would take him, he looked over the kitchen area, and turned to the living room area, where he thankfully found a bored looking L wrapped in a blanket, sitting next to Sachiko.

She turned to Light as he entered. "Ah, Light, you're awake. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine... how did we get here..."

L looked at Light from where he sat. Light returned the gaze, and felt that L was a little off.

"We got called by a family over on Ukitara. They said their son had found you wondering around, in a lost state, and you were injured. You were lucky they looked after you both. I went around with your father later on and we put you to bed, seeing as you refused to wake up."

"I... see..."

L didn't stop staring at Light. Almost as if he was waiting to see if Light was going to say something he shouldn't.

Sachiko then decided to busy herself with making dinner, and rushed off into the kitchen area. Light awkwardly sat next to L on the sofa, and gravity was obviously not in the best of moods today, seeing as when Light went to sit down, it thought it would piss him off by adding too much momentum as he landed down on the sofa, and almost fell into L. Brushing it off, Light apologised quickly and clammed up a little, embarrassed.

"Are you... okay?"

L was silent for a moment, and Light thought maybe he didn't want to talk to him. Relief flushed over him when L finally replied.

"I can't complain."

There was an awkward silence, and Light wanted to say something, but couldn't bring himself to do so. Luckily, L did it for him.

"... I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?"

"I left of my own accord, but I didn't consider the consequences, or rather, I took them for granted... I was very immature. Please forgive me."

L's voice was as one-toned as always, giving away no secrets. Light stared, a little concerned that L had actually apologised and recognised that he'd been in the wrong for once. That voice said nothing about the reasons behind everything... L's disappearance, his behaviour, that stranger who nursed them... nothing gave him any insight whatsoever. Light sat back, and nodded a little, too emotionally drained to consider prying into it anymore. For now, anyway.

"Apology accepted. I'm just happy nothing messed up happened to you. I mean, besides the drugging... "

"... Right..."

"And the drunken behaviour..."

"... Uh-huh..."

There was another awkward silence, and as Light opened his mouth to utter small talk, L interjected. "You were concerned?"

Light didn't look L in the eye, and shrugged.

"Well, yeah, it was hard not to be... you could've been anywhere, and Dad was under a lot of pressure to find you, and it felt weird..."

" 'Weird'? What felt, 'weird'?"

"W-well... it's just, you've been here for what, two months now...? And, well, it got really noticeable when you weren't there all of a sudden..."

"Ah. So that's you were masturbating on my futon."

Light quickly turned to L. "That... that had _nothing _to do with...!"

"Whatever you say, Light."

"Shut up! This isn't about me..."

"But it is."

Light stared at L, and L stared back. Confusion came over Light, and he frowned. L continued.

"I left because of you."

"... What?"

XXX

After three wasted hours at cram school, where they more or less 'crammed' information that he already knew into his irritated head, Mikami stalked down the alleyway that connected to the place where he received cram lessons, the building that bent over and leered at all that walked past it. It was almost completely black save for the shreds and slivers of light that stretched out to reach the middle of the alley, but didn't even get close. He didn't trust the alley, and had a bad feeling about entering it, but shrugged it off. It not like he was scared of anything anyway. Well, there was that one guy who'd creeped him out, but he hadn't seen that guy in a few weeks. Nothing to worry about there.

And yet, before Mikami knew it, he was surrounded by scarved shadows.

There were three boys on his left, and two more on his right. They all sneered a little, and Mikami returned their sneers with a bored, uncaring expression, as if they were as natural as the air that sat around him.

"Hey kid, you got something we can have?"

"We need some medicine, so why don't you give us the money for it?" One of the thugs asked, getting all up in Mikami's face. Mikami grimaced a little at the close proximity, and shook his head.

"No. Please go away."

"Aw look, the kid wants to leave! Alright, alright. Fourteen-thousand yen and we'll get lost. How'd that sound?"

"No. Please fuck off."

The yobs laughed aloud, almost at the same time. Or rather, one of them laughed, and the others followed suit. Mikami peered at the thug in question, and decided that this guy must've been the designated leader of this, 'group'.

There was a smack.

It was rather loud, and sounded blunt. All people occupying the alley turned as it sounded, to see a teen laying face down on the floor, and a small shadow standing over the unconscious boy's form, holding what appeared to be a shingle from a roof. There was blood scraped against the wall, and it trailed down to the leaking head of the husk upon the concrete.

Mikami blinked a little, and after what appeared to be a look of minor annoyance flashed over his features, shook his head, sighing.

"What the fuck?" One thug nearby seemed to realise that they were under attack, and rage propelled him towards the shadow. It obviously wasn't a good night for him to attack strangers, as the shadow simply dodged, and as the yob turned to strike again, his jugular met with the shingle. Red stained his front as he fell.

"You can't be fucking serious..."

The shadow smirked.

"That's a rather vague question. This is life, to take it serious would be _naught but suicide_!"

Mikami sighed. "God, you're so dramatic. Who says that in real life, seriously?"

A little freaked, the punks turned heels and left, cursing.

The shadow, still smirking, turned its eyes on Mikami's unshaken figure and walked at a lazy pace towards him. "So, where have you been, Mikami?"

"I told you to stop following me. I mean, thanks for what you just did, but seriously, you're freaking me out a little."

"That happens a lot."

XXX

THIS WAS A RATHER SHORT CHAPTER  
And I'm sorry about that... I think my Death Note muse might be dying, so if all the characters start going really out of character, it would be better to stop reading. Unless you don't mind the characters being OOC.


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